The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered an unprecedented worldwide social, economic and health crisis. This emergency has prompted the Latin American and Caribbean countries to deploy a series of social protection measures in an attempt to mitigate its impacts, especially for the most vulnerable population groups. In view of this situation and given the possibility of other crises in the future, the role of social protection systems has become one of fundamental importance, and strategies have to be devised for making those systems universal, comprehensive and sustainable on the basis of an approach that is sensitive to difference. This study looks at a number of the social protection measures implemented by the countries of the region in response to the pandemic and explores different social protection tools that could contribute to a recovery with equality and sustainability.