Previous epidemic emergencies, such as Ebola outbreaks, have caused disruptions in essential health services, resulting in negative effects on health and well-being. A modelling study estimates that potential disruptions in HIV services resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to as many as 673,000 additional HIV-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2021. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and its partners in the Global HIV Prevention Coalition have developed a series of briefs to provide guidance to countries on maintaining essential HIV services and safeguarding the health of vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic.