Community participation in the fight against COVID-19: between utilitarianism and social justice

This essay aims to discuss the foundations and possibilities for community participation in the fight against COVID-19. The first part discusses the meanings of community, defined according to geographic, aggregate-interest, or epidemiological criteria. In the context of the pandemic, none of the three perspectives can be considered alone. The essay discusses the need to link different approaches in order to produce socially contextualized health interventions. Next, the authors present the four main models in the international literature that provide the basis for community participation practices in various countries. The analysis of community participation in the context of COVID-19 uses conceptual systematization based on two meta-narratives: utilitarian and social justice. The utilitarian perspective involves measures to restrict social contact. Participation is thus understood as collaboration in implementing measures that contribute to controlling the problem. The social justice perspective especially addresses the social determinants of health and reduction in social inequalities. The approach focuses on community empowerment and the search for solutions to the social and economic problems that determine the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases. The essay concludes on the peculiarities and importance of each approach. Community participation in the fight against COVID-19 should consider the emergency contexts to strengthen the health system and the defense of the social protection system and democracy.