Rethinking care from the perspective of the community and vulnerable populations: Buenos Aires and Madrid during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Abstract

Crisis situations that affect care provision such as that caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic invite us to reflect on how responsibilities are distributed among the different actors. The multiple changes in everyday lives caused by the pandemic were accompanied by state actions and community initiatives. This context involved various ways of identifying and interpreting care and responding to the needs detected. This article describes and reflects on significant experiences of community organization among vulnerable populations in the cities of Madrid and Buenos Aires to provide the necessary care during the pandemic. The study relied on secondary sources: specialized bibliography, newspaper articles, technical reports, legislation and official government websites. In addition, key informants were consulted.