Stigmatization, Discrimination, Racism, Injustice, and Inequalities in the COVID-19 Era

The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which induces the respiratory coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has transformed society, medicine, and values in so many ways, has already claimed (May 31, 2020) 369 627 lives and infected 6 087 902 people globally.1 During this highly transformative period, human interactions have been forcefully altered, either through implemented social distancing or lockdowns, to limit the spread of the virus. Reducing people’s movement, and the duration and frequency of contact between them, imposes artificial barriers of contact that can lead to friction and discord. Healthcare systems, often under pressure, were unprepared and faced life-and-death decisions, reigniting or amplifying sensitive social issues, including stigmatization, discrimination, racism, injustice, and inequalities, as a result of health disparities.