No place to shelter: ethnography of the homeless population in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: to analyze how homeless people live, in times of COVID-19 pandemic, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Method: an ethnographic research that used interviews and observations and articles published in newspapers and magazines of great circulation, using domain analysis. Results: the results tell how the COVID-19 pandemic emerged for the homeless population. Isolation led to emptying the streets and reducing passers-by, damaging their ways of living and their survival tactics. Hunger, thirst, absence of places for bathing and for fulfilling physiological needs became part of their daily lives. Final considerations: given the impossibility of having a place to shelter, acquiring food and water and the limitations in carrying out preventive measures, care actions offered by managers to limit the virus to spread, even in this population, are ineffective.

Challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and their providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

“…People experiencing homelessness were more likely to acquire SARS-CoV-2, become seriously ill and die from the infection. 15,28 Others have also described increased food insecurity owing to widespread closures, 15 a loss of "place" amidst restrictions and distanced services, 29 a rise in overdose deaths, 30 and increased fear, confusion and uncertainty. 15,29 In some regions, vaccinations have been slow to reach people living in shelters, leading to outbreaks even as other parts of the population were protected.…”

“…15,28 Others have also described increased food insecurity owing to widespread closures, 15 a loss of "place" amidst restrictions and distanced services, 29 a rise in overdose deaths, 30 and increased fear, confusion and uncertainty. 15,29 In some regions, vaccinations have been slow to reach people living in shelters, leading to outbreaks even as other parts of the population were protected. 9 Health care workers and shelter staff in our study faced an emotional toll from trying to care for patients experiencing homelessness within a system that did not adequately support their efforts.…”

“…10 As system leaders reflect on the lessons from the pandemic, it is important to learn from the lived experience of people who were homeless and those who cared for them. 11 Some qualitative research has begun to explore the impact of COVID-19 on access to hand hygiene facilities, 12 healthrelated resources 13 and primary care 14 for the homeless population, as well as their experiences in the first months of the pandemic 15 or during periods of lockdown. 16 However, few qualitative studies have explored the impact of pandemic policies and procedures on people experiencing homelessness in…”

Homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies and action plans of the Berlin Senate

“…Another critical point is that the pandemic has almost completely deprived homeless people of their livelihoods (Paula et al, 2020). Whereas homeless people could generate some income either by begging for small amounts of money or donations, this option is dramatically limited by the pandemic-induced restrictions, e.g., lower volumes of people in public spaces due to home office obligations.…”

COVID-19, Food Insecurity and Malnutrition: A Multiple Burden for Brazil

“…This dismantlement, more so than the COVID-19 pandemic, underlies Brazil's return to the UN Hunger Map ( 23 ). Unfortunately, hunger has become an ever-increasing daily burden for many families residing on the outskirts of large cities, the homeless and more families living in isolated rural areas, including indigenous and quilombola populations ( 15 , 24 , 25 ).…”