Facing the COVID-19 (new coronavirus disease) pandemic, countries must take decisive action to stop the spread of the virus. In these critical circumstances, it is essential that everyone is informed about other health risks and hazards so that they can stay safe and healthy. Reliable information on the risks of alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important factor and, as part of its public health response, WHO has worked with partners to develop a set of new materials to address misinformation and provide guidance to individuals and countries during the pandemic. This includes answers to a set of frequently asked questions on alcohol and COVID-19 collected in the WHO factsheet “Alcohol and COVID-19: what you need to know”.