COVID-19 remains a public health threat, despite widespread control measures aimed at ending the pandemic. Much scientific and medical progress has been made regarding our understanding of COVID-19 pathophysiology and regarding the development of vaccines, treatments and care, yet the actions of individual countries have often been insufficient and heterogeneous. To gain a global consensus on COVID-19 responses, Lazarus et al. conducted a multidisciplinary and multinational study of a diverse panel of 386 experts, including academic, health, non-governmental organization, government and other experts in COVID-19 response. The study yielded a set of 41 consensus statements and 57 recommendations that could be subsumed into six categories of action: improve communication; strengthen health systems; promote vaccination combined with additional prevention measures; encourage preventive behaviours; expand treatment and care; and end inequities. These findings can serve as a basis for decision making by governments in an attempt to finally put an end to COVID-19 as a persistent and global health threat.