Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), which is the hosting of municipality of UCLG-MEWA Secretariat General, has responded to COVID-19 crisis full steam ahead to mitigate its destructive impacts on people and the city. The first step was the establishment of Istanbul Aid and Coordination Center which set the roadmap for the struggle and aims to prevent any possible incoordination in the process. For public health: face masks are distributed in public transportation, thermographic cameras detecting high body temperature are installed in metro and metrobus stations, transportation vehicles are disinfected, psychological consulting is provided, and medical staff and equipment of IMM are mobilized. To mitigate the social impacts of the crisis: Free shopping cards and food packages are distributed to needy families, measures are taken for stray animals, cultural events continue through online platforms, social assistance amount in IMM budget is increased, and accommodation opportunities are provided to healthcare workers free of charge. Moreover, with the “Bill on the Hook” solidarity campaign and web site, IMM enables people to cover the gas and water bills of needy households. Please see the attached documents for more details.