The Inequality of COVID-19: Chapter 1 - Introduction

While COVID-19 is a global public health crisis, scholars have not adequately addressed unequal virus effects as was witnessed in marginalized Indigenous communities. Just how did national and tribal governments manage communications and policies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19? That simple but intriguing question is answered using examples from four regions: the Navajo Nation (Southwest United States), Maasai Community (East Africa), Siddi zone (India), and Aboriginal lands (Australia). This chapter is an introduction of unequal pandemic response by various governments. It lays out the governance and communication contours of understanding public health inequalities that manifested during the global novel COVID-19 pandemic.