The World Bank has launched a fast-deploying high-frequency phone-based survey of households to generate near real time insights into the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on households which hence to be used to support evidence-based policy responses to the crisis. At a time when conventional modes of data collection are not feasible, this phone-based rapid data collection method offers a way to gather granular information on the transmission mechanisms of the crisis on the populations, to identify gaps in policy responses, and to generate insights to inform scaling up or redirection of resources as the crisis unfolds.