Targeting the World’s Slums as Fat Tails in the Distribution of COVID-19 Cases

Buckley, Robert M.

doi:10.1007/s11524-020-00450-w

Cited by 31 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Corburn et al [ 14 ] discussed how slums and informal settlements are poorly prepared to manage the pandemic and offered suggestions to minimize the risk of the virus. This is not only a matter of treating the inhabitants of informal settlements on a level equal to the rest of the population but also involves providing them with special support in order to adequately counter the risks associated with their living conditions [ 15 ].…”

Section: What We Knowmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 and Slums: A Pandemic Highlights Gaps in Knowledge About Urban Poverty

Friesen¹,

Pelz²

2020

JMIR Public Health Surveill

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According to the United Nations, about 1 billion persons live in so-called slums. Numerous studies have shown that this population is particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. The current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, emphatically underlines this problem. The often high-density living quarters coupled with a large number of persons per dwelling and the lack of adequate sanitation are reasons why measures to contain the pandemic only work to a limited extent in slums. Furthermore, assignment to risk groups for severe courses of COVID-19 caused by noncommunicable diseases (eg, cardiovascular diseases) is not possible due to inadequate data availability. Information on people living in slums and their health status is either unavailable or only exists for specific regions (eg, Nairobi). We argue that one of the greatest problems with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of slums in the Global South is the lack of data on the number of people, their living conditions, and their health status.

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Section: What We Knowmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 and Slums: A Pandemic Highlights Gaps in Knowledge About Urban Poverty

Friesen¹,

Pelz²

2020

JMIR Public Health Surveill

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“…In most cases, there are households with scarce water and sanitation, poor ventilation, space constraints and overcrowding making physical distancing and self-quarantine impractical, thus facilitating the rapid spread of SARS-CoV2 infection. [7][8]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community-level SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Survey in urban slum dwellers of Buenos Aires City, Argentina: a participatory research

Figar

Pagotto

Luna

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background By July 1st, the incidence rate of RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2 infection was 5.9% in Barrio Padre Mugica, one of the largest slums in Buenos Aires City. This study aimed to establish the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 three months after the first case was reported. Methods Between June 10th and July 1st, a cross-sectional design was carried out on people over 14 years old, selected from a probabilistic sample of households. A finger prick sample was tested by ELISA to detect IgG-class antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Multilevel model was applied to understand sector, household and individual conditions associated with seroconvert. Results Prevalence based on IgG was 53.4% (95%IC 52.8% to 54.1%). Among the IgG positive cases, 15% reported having compatible symptoms at some point in the past two months. There is evidence of within-household clustering effect (rho=0.52; 95% IC 0.36-0.67); living with a PCR-confirmed case doubled the chance of being SARS-CoV2 IgG positive (OR 2.13; 95% IC 1.17-3.85). The highest risk of infection was found in one of the most deprived areas of the slum, the Bajo autopista sector. Discussion High seroprevalence is shown, for each symptomatic RT-qPCR-confirmed diagnosis, 9 people were IgG positive, indicating a high rate of undetected (probable asymptomatic) infections. Given that transmission among family members is a leading driver of the disease`s spread, it is unsurprising that crowded housing situations in slums are directly associated with higher risk of infection and consequently high seroprevalence levels. This study contributes to the understanding of population immunity against SARS-CoV2, its relation to living conditions and viral spread, for future decision making.

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“…Governments, non-profits, and the community need to act quickly to provide economic support, urban infrastructure, and protections to individuals living in informal settlements. The value of lives saved and disease burden averted will probably far exceed the economic costs of providing immediate support to families facing severe hardship [20]. Schools provide essential meals and nutrition to children living in poverty, including those in informal settlements.…”

Section: Discussion and Policy Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 in Urban Informal Settlements

Gil

Domínguez

Undurraga

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The COVID-19 pandemic has reached almost every corner of the world. Without a pharmaceutical solution, governments have been forced to implement regulations and public policies to control social behavior and prevent the spread of the virus. There is dramatic evidence of the social and economic effects of these measures and their disparate impact on vulnerable communities. Individuals living in urban informal settlements are in a structurally disadvantaged position to cope with a health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper examines the socioeconomic impact of the crisis brought by the pandemic in informal settlements in Chile. We use a three-wave panel study to compare the situation in informal settlements before and during the health crisis. We show that households living in informal settlements are paying a high toll. Their employment loss is dramatic, substantially larger than the loss reported in the general population, and has particularly affected the inmigrant population. We also find that the pandemic has triggered neighborhood cooperation within the settlements. Targeted government assistance programs have reached these communities; however, this group’s coverage is not enough to counteract the magnitude of the crisis. Our results suggest that governments, the non-profit sector, and the community need to urgently provide economic support and protections to individuals living in informal settlements and consider this opportunity for long-term improvements in these marginalized communities.HighlightsGovernments have implemented large-scale non-pharmaceutical interventions to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemicThese measures have had dramatic social and economic effects on the population, particularly affecting vulnerable communitiesIndividuals living in urban informal settlements are in a structurally disadvantaged position to cope with this crisisUsing panel data, we document a dramatic employment loss among informal settlements dwellers, substantially larger than the general populationThe pandemic has also triggered neighborhood cooperation within the settlements as well as targeted government assistance, but not enough to counteract the magnitude of the economic loss

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Targeting the World’s Slums as Fat Tails in the Distribution of COVID-19 Cases

Cited by 31 publications

References 10 publications

COVID-19 and Slums: A Pandemic Highlights Gaps in Knowledge About Urban Poverty

COVID-19 and Slums: A Pandemic Highlights Gaps in Knowledge About Urban Poverty

Community-level SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Survey in urban slum dwellers of Buenos Aires City, Argentina: a participatory research

The Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 in Urban Informal Settlements

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