Social environmental vulnerability approach on the COVID-19 epoch: a case study in Blumenau (SC), Brazil

Abstract

There is a strong correlation between poverty indicators and the occurrence of diseases associated with environmental inequalities; therefore, it is highly necessary to explore the linkages between these inequalities and COVID- 19. This article describes a research designs made to study aspects of social environmental vulnerability that underlies the linkages between inequalities and COVID-19. This article aims to address this linkage. The objective is to explore aspects of social environmental vulnerability that underlies a case study at Blumenau, Brazil. The analysis is based on the critical question: Is there a relationship between social environmental vulnerability and COVID-19 at Blumenau? In Blumenau, where the study was carry out, the poor people are more likely to be affected from the risks arising out of the location of their homes, and this situation increases their vulnerability to floods, landslides, lack of water and exposure to open sewage. The methodology was divide into two steeps: (i) analysis of multi-temporal spread pattern of COVID-19 around the site; and (ii) analysis of the social environmental vulnerability and COVID-19 relationship. Results have shown that in Blumenau, there is a relationship between social environmental vulnerability and COVID-19. It can be said that COVID-19 emphases’ the social environmental situation in Blumenau. Based on our experience, we contend that an effective way to examine the linkages between inequalities and COVID-19 is to employ concepts and theories drawn from existing research to support guidelines, indicators and methods.

Social vulnerability and COVID-19 in Maringá, Brazil

“…Castro et al [ 21 ] show that correlations between cases of COVID-19 and the human development index in Brazil are space-dependent. At the intraurban scale, Souza et al [ 22 ] show that cases of COVID-19 are negatively correlated with income and positively correlated with the population over 60 years of age. Souza et al [ 23 ] show that COVID-19 cases are positively correlated with the proportion of the elderly population and negatively correlated with income and education.…”