COVID‐19 pandemic and socio‐environmental inequality: A narrative review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The COVID‐19 pandemic has provided preliminary evidence of the existence of health, social, and environmental inequalities. This inequality encompasses inadequate access to safe water, clean air, and wastewater management, as well as limited socioeconomic and educational opportunities. These issues have not received sufficient attention during the pandemic. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide a comprehensive summary and analysis of the existing literature on a specific topic, ultimately leading to a conclusion based on the evidence presented. METHODS: The search methodology for this study involved conducting comprehensive searches of scientific databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, LILACS, and Google Scholar, from 2019 to 2023. The study focused on a specific theme and its relevant aspects related to global environmental health and society. Keywords such as COVID‐19, inequities, and environmental health were used for searching. Additionally, the Boolean operator “AND” was used to combine these descriptors. RESULTS: Unequal exposure to air pollution has been reported in Africa, as well as in large parts of Asia and Latin America, according to the data that has been obtained. The pandemic has also resulted in a surge in healthcare waste generation, exacerbating the environmental impact of solid waste. Furthermore, there is evidence indicating significant disparities in the severe lack of access to sanitation services between developing nations and low‐income regions. The issues related to water availability, accessibility, and quality are subject to debate. It has been reported that SARS‐CoV‐2 is present not only in untreated/raw water, but also in water bodies that act as reservoirs. Moreover, insufficient education, poverty, and low household income have been identified as the most significant risk factors for COVID‐19 infection and mortality. CONCLUSION: It is evident that addressing socio‐environmental inequality and striving to narrow the gap by prioritizing vulnerable populations are imperative.