THE THINKER 45 A s Covid-19 sweeps across the globe, one of the biggest questions in many minds is ‘how will this crisis affect Africa?’ (Nyenswah, 2020; Pillay, 2020; Wood, 2020; World Bank, 2020a). Fears abound that the pandemic will multiply and deepen existing socio-economic issues, such as high levels of unemployment, poverty, and inequality. Some speculations are stoked by geopolitical relations and partnerships that underpin the role of foreign powers, such as China, in Africa (Tremann, 2020). Other predictions consider the socio-cultural dimensions unique to the continent that would likely hamper extrapolations from Western or Eastern examples to date (Broadbent and Smart, 2020; Kaseje, 2020). Often these speculations are characterised by a sense of risk and a pessimistic outlook on Africa’s capacity to respond effectively to the threat posed by Covid-19 (Holmes et al., 2020). In this article we argue that many African governments have so far responded more proactively and effectively to Covid-19 than some governments in High Income Countries (HICs), and that much of this capacity to respond effectively can be explained by an existing culture of using evidence to inform policy decision-making. Decision-Making in the Time of Covid-19 A key challenge for many decision-makers in these uncertain times is the rapidly expanding and changing knowledge and information base on Covid-19. Response strategies to contain the pandemic require a sensitive design that evidence which forces decision-makers to adjust and review strategies and policies on an ongoing basis (Mbuvha and Marwala, 2020). The vast amount of evidence and misinformation can be paralysing for decision-makers and citizens alike. As the world grapples with an overwhelming number of unanswered questions in relation to this pandemic, and a rising tide of often highly- speculative new research, our leaders’ decision- making is in the spotlight. Crucially, the different trajectories of Covid-19 in countries suggest that adopting evidence- informed response strategies contributes positively to controlling the pandemic. Politicians and leaders stress a need for ‘following the science’ and science advisors and governmental advisory committees are in a new, unfamiliar spotlight. Supporting such institutional mechanisms for evidence-informed decision-making is a wider community of global institutions, organisations, By Nasreen Jessani, Laurenz Langer, Carina van Rooyen and Ruth Stewart COVID-19 EVIDENCE FOR DECISIONS IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 Eyes Africa on ©Shutterstock.com