Epidemiological Situation and Social Vulnerability in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The December 2019 outbreak in China of a novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus quickly spread globally. In the era of economic globalization, as of February 24, 2021, the cumulative number of people with COVID-19 has reached 110 million worldwide, with more than 24.7 million deaths, with containment of the pandemic not likely to happen soon. Conventional outbreaks have spread in low- and middle-income countries where poverty and immature health systems prevail, resulting in significant human and social inequity. However, middle- and upper-income people account for more than 85% of the total cumulative deaths. The spread of infection in Africa and Asia is relatively limited despite their fragile health systems. These unexpected phenomena are noteworthy when reconsidering the definition of social vulnerability. To prevent direct or indirect mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, society has made efforts to minimize disruptions to health systems and mitigate social, racial, and gender inequity globally. While facing conventional and newly emerged social vulnerabilities, we are standing at a historical turning point to promote our new normal lifestyle of "coexisting with viruses" through a promising paradigm shift that focuses on improving the sustainability of our entire planet.