ReliefWeb

Loss of livelihoods, tight living spaces, depleting daily necessities: What does COVID-19 mean for the vulnerable communities?

COVID-19 has brought daily lives to a standstill, with nations across the world are racing to contain the rapid spread of the virus. The Asia-Pacific region is one of the first epicentres of COVID-19, owing to its many densely populated cities that created an increased risk of transmission and community outbreaks.
Governments in the region quickly responded to the pandemic by passing travel restrictions, lockdown orders, and curfew regulations. Public sectors services and front-line facilities, such as hospitals and emergency services became strained with implementing necessary protective measures and subsequent influx of COVID-19 patients. While these much-needed interventions saving lives, they also have had cascading effects, with many small businesses closing and food crops going unharvested due to a shortage of seasonal workers. Though most governments have been providing stimulus packages to many sectors, a lot of vulnerable communities are still struggling to access the aid needed to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.