Empty streets, full minds. The fear of the new coronavirus occupies the thoughts of the residents of Maré, a favela complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with more intensity than the rest of the city, the country or even the world. Other daily threats also permeate life in the favela, such as unemployment, armed violence and lack of basic rights. For those dealing with psychological illnesses, the arrival of COVID-19 made mental health care even more necessary. After six months, economic activities are returning to normal, even though there are more than 14,000 cases of the disease in the informal settlements of Rio de Janeiro, according to a mapping of the Painel Unificador Covid-19 Nas Favelas (Unifying Panel of COVID-19 in the Favelas), released on October 5.
The challenges of this crisis were predicted by the World Health Organization (WHO), which treated the pandemic not only as a health and humanitarian issue, but also as a mental health one. About 30% to 50% of those in socioeconomic and psychosocial vulnerability, such as slum dwellers, are more likely to develop some form of mental disorder or face worsening symptoms.
