Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic reached Brazil in a context of political and economic crises that have exacerbated existing inequalities and vulnerabilities. Individuals and organizations undertook actions to support others to mitigate the pandemic effects. Thirty-four interviews were conducted from October to November 2020 to identify the supportive actions to help others, analyzing them concerning (pandemic) solidarity. Solidarity and individualism frequently appeared in the interviews as qualifiers of such actions. Furthermore, we identified three cores in which these actions were staged: the family, the condominium, and the community. The family was mentioned as mutual support based on kinship. On the other hand, condominium actions were subdivided into intramural (mutual support actions among similar people) and extramural actions (which reveal the differentiation between the condominium and more impoverished places). The community emerges as a more powerful type of action, with self-management, mutual support, and shared vulnerability experiences. In this sense, the results encourage us to understand solidarity as a way of transforming society, regardless of the State’s presence.

Key words:
Solidarity; Pandemics; COVID-19; Self-management

Introduction

The first Brazilian COVID-19 case was recorded on February 26, 2020¹1 Brasil. Ministério da Saúde (MS). Boletim Epidemiológico Especial. Doença pelo Coronavírus COVID-19. [acessado 2022 set 8]. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/centrais-de-conteudo/publicacoes/boletins/epidemiologicos/covid-19/2021/boletim_epidemiologico_covid_52_final2.pdf
https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/centrais-... . Since then, the increased transmissibility of the virus has been accompanied by conflict and lack of coordination between the spheres of power, embodying a health and political crisis scenario and exacerbated social inequalities²2 Bueno FTC, Souto EP, Matta GC. Notas sobre a trajetória da COVID-19 no Brasil. Os impactos sociais da COVID-19 no Brasil: populações vulnerabilizadas e respostas à pandemia. In: Matta GC, Rego S, Souto EP, Segata J, organizadores. Os impactos sociais da COVID-19 no Brasil: populações vulnerabilizadas e respostas à pandemia [Internet]. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Fiocruz; 2021. p. 27-39. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://books.scielo.org/id/r3hc2/pdf/matta-9786557080320-03.pdf. While the Federal Government advocated the “Brazil cannot stop” campaign, encouraging the end of preventive measures against COVID-19³3 CNN Brasil. Governo lança campanha 'Brasil Não Pode Parar' contra medidas de isolamento [Internet]. 2020 mar 27. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/governo-lanca-campanha-brasil-nao-pode-parar-contra-medidas-de-isolamento/
https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/go... , states and municipalities adopted disparate actions, sometimes aligned with scientific guidelines, others with vertical isolation or herd immunity by contagion⁴4 Brasil. Senado Federal. Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito da Pandemia. Relatório Final. [Internet]. 2020. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/arquivos/2021/10/26/relatorio_final-26102021-12h40-1.pdf
https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/arq... . In this setting, the Brazilian population experienced the lack of official information and COVID-19 public policies while waiting for vaccines, without estimated dates and volumes.

From this situation, this paper aims to characterize and understand the solidarity actions of Brazilians from different regions and household income classes in the Brazilian COVID-19 pandemic. This exploratory qualitative study promoted thirty-four semi-structured interviews and aimed to innovate by associating the collected reports with the social and political context of the country and the production on solidarity by Barbara Prainsack, Alena Buyx, and Jodi Dean.

Prainsack and Buyx⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011. define solidarity as a practice that expresses the willingness to support others with whom we recognize similarity in a relevant respect. Jodi Dean⁶6 Dean J. Reflective solidarity. Constellations 1995; 2(1):114-140. reflects on how the appeal to solidarity can be significant when traditional values have lost their integrating force. Thus, she proposes solidarity with an inclusive ideal and contemporary validity that she calls reflective solidarity. From both perspectives, the COVID-19 pandemic is convenient conjunction for identifying similarities and catalyzing solidarity actions.

In this scenario and from these understandings, we aimed to address the respondents’ opinions and stories on shared vulnerability, selfishness, and charity. Moreover, we have analyzed the support actions cited to mitigate the various limitations brought by the pandemic. These actions were located in several social organizations, and we identified three cores of action through the lens of solidarity: the family, the condominium, and the community, which will be explored below.

Materials and methods

This paper is nested in a Latin American consortium of researchers from 13 countries in collaboration with the University of Vienna, who agreed on common lines of work to study solidarity during a pandemic. To this end, the Brazilian team held thirty-four semi-structured interviews through online platforms from October to November 2020, following a roadmap with guiding questions and a sociodemographic questionnaire⁷7 Consortium S. Categorías demográficas "Solidaridad en tiempos de una pandemia (Solpan+ América Latina)" (Demographic Categories "Solidarity in Times of a Pandemic (Solpan+ Latin America)") [Internet]. papers.ssrn.com 2021. [cited 2022 abr 29]. Available from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3786920
https://ssrn.com/abstract=3786920... . A codebook was prepared for the consortium through an inductive approach based on the Grounded Theory method⁸8 Charmaz, K. Constructing Grounded Theory: a practical guide through qualitative analysis. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage Publications; 2006.^,99 Consortium S. Libro de códigos "Solidaridad en tiempos de una pandemia (Solpan+ América Latina)" / (Codebook "solidarity in Times of a Pandemic (Solpan+ Latin America)") [Internet]. papers.ssrn.com 2021. [cited 2022 abr 29]. Available from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3786925
https://ssrn.com/abstract=3786925... , from what emerged from the interviews. The interviews were processed in Atlas-ti software.

We recruited respondents in three stages: convenience sampling, based on the research group’s contact networks, followed by the snowball and quota techniques to cover possible sociodemographic gaps¹⁰10 Bryman A. Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2016. (p. 418). Eight states, namely Alagoas, Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo, were chosen to obtain answers from different contexts of the pandemic - without outlining a representative picture of solidarity among the Brazilian population as a whole, but accessing different possibilities of understanding and actions in the face of the pandemic.

We analyzed the answers referring to the support actions that people describe doing in their surroundings, including the family - related to help, collaboration, compatible with solidarity, or, in the opposite direction, non-support, associated with individualism and non-collaboration. The sociodemographic data collection tool covered aspects of the study population such as age, sex, ethnicity/skin color, schooling, profession/occupation, total household income [Minimum wage (MW) of R$1,000.00 (one thousand reais)] (Table 1).

All respondents accepted and signed the informed consent form, and the Research Ethics Committee ethical, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, approved the study (36569120.0.0000.5240).

Results and discussion

Context: so, what? I’m sorry! what do you want me to do?

We must talk about social inequality, the lack of coordination between federative entities, and, in particular, the stance of the Federal Government to understand the Brazilian pandemic scenario. The virus first spread among the middle and high-income population¹¹11 Fleury S, Menezes P. Pandemia nas favelas: entre carências e potencias. Saude Debate 2020; 44(4):267-280.. However, one of the first fatal victims was the domestic worker Cleonice Gonçalves (Miguel Pereira/RJ), who was infected by her “employer” who recently returned from Italy¹²12 Melo ML. Primeira vítima do RJ era doméstica e pegou coronavírus da patroa no Leblon. UOL Notícias 2020; 19 mar. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://noticias.uol.com.br/saude/ultimas-noticias/redacao/2020/03/19/primeira-vitima-do-rj-era-domestica-e-pegou-coronavirus-da-patroa.htm
https://noticias.uol.com.br/saude/ultima... .

The story of this worker announced what would happen in Brazil: the virus affects everyone differently.

In March 2020, the Federal Government defended the non-suspension of economic activities³3 CNN Brasil. Governo lança campanha 'Brasil Não Pode Parar' contra medidas de isolamento [Internet]. 2020 mar 27. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/governo-lanca-campanha-brasil-nao-pode-parar-contra-medidas-de-isolamento/
https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/go... , conflicting with the measures some states and municipalities had been adopting¹³13 Agência Senado. Decisão do STF sobre isolamento de estados e municípios repercute no Senado [Internet]. 2020 abr 16. [acessado 2022 jul 5]. Disponível em: https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/materias/ 2020/04/16/decisao-do-stf-sobre-isolamento-de-estados-e-municipios-repercute-no-senado
https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/mat... . In April, when Brazil had 5,017 deaths, the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, said about the advance of the pandemic in the country: “So, what? I’m sorry! What do you want me to do?”¹⁴14 Garcia G, Gomes PH, Viana H. 'E daí? Lamento. Quer que eu faça o quê?', diz Bolsonaro sobre mortes por coronavírus; 'Sou Messias, mas não faço milagre'. G1 2020; 28 abr. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2020/04/28/e-dai-lamento-quer-que-eu-faca-o-que-diz-bolsonaro-sobre-mortes-por-coronavirus-no-brasil.ghtml
https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/20... . At this point, National Congress members¹⁵15 Pligher P. 48% acham que Bolsonaro criou auxílio emergencial; 42% atribuem ao Congresso. Poder 360 [Internet]. 2020 out 19. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://www.poder360.com.br/governo/48-acham-que-bolsonaro-criou-auxilio-emergencial-42-atribuem-ao-congresso/
https://www.poder360.com.br/governo/48-a... articulated to approve emergency aid¹⁶16 Brasil. Lei nº 13.982, de 2 de abril de 2020. Diário Oficial da União 2020; 2 abr. to mitigate economic impacts caused by the pandemic¹⁷17 Albani VVL, Albani R, Bobko N, Massad E, Zubelli JP. On the role of financial support programs in mitigating the SARS-COV-2 spread in Brazil. EuropePMC 2021; preprint. DOI: 10.1101/2021.11.30.21267063.
https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.30.21267... .

What ensued was typical: people most exposed to COVID-19 were from the group of people whose deaths were apparently unimportant¹⁸18 Santos H, Maciel F, Martins P, Santos A, Prado N. A voz da comunidade no enfrentamento da COVID-19: proposições para redução das iniquidades em saúde. Saude Debate 2021; 45(130):763-777.. The mortality of black people was higher (and they were initially less vaccinated)¹⁹19 Leão AL, Dantas D, Martins E, Branco L. Abismo social COVID-19 deixa mais mortos na periferia. O Globo 2020; 3 maio . [acessado 2022 abr 27]. Disponível em: http://www.fsp.usp.br/site/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G2T4I5P2M.1.screen-1-1.pdf
http://www.fsp.usp.br/site/wp-content/up... ^,2020 Muniz B, Fonseca B, Fernandes L, Pina R. Brasil registra duas vezes mais pessoas brancas vacinadas que negras. Agencia Pública 2021; 15 mar. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://apublica.org/2021/03/brasil-registra-duas-vezes-mais-pessoas-brancas-vacinadas-que-negras/
https://apublica.org/2021/03/brasil-regi... , isolation was only possible for those who could work remotely²¹21 Monitor Mercantil. Nas classes A/B, 52% adotaram home office; nas D/E, 26%. [Internet]. 2020 ago 21. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://monitormercantil.com.br/nas-classes-a-b-52-adotaram-home-office-nas-d-e-26/
https://monitormercantil.com.br/nas-clas... , and insufficient prevention policies exposed those most vulnerable to public transport²²22 Romeiro DL, Cardoso FL, Schechtman R, Brizon LC, Figueiredo Z M. Transporte público e a COVID-19: o abandono do setor durante a pandemia [Internet]. Rio de Janeiro: FGV CERI; 2021. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://ceri.fgv.br/sites/default/files/publicacoes/2021-06/tpc_covid19.pdf and housing²²22 Romeiro DL, Cardoso FL, Schechtman R, Brizon LC, Figueiredo Z M. Transporte público e a COVID-19: o abandono do setor durante a pandemia [Internet]. Rio de Janeiro: FGV CERI; 2021. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://ceri.fgv.br/sites/default/files/publicacoes/2021-06/tpc_covid19.pdf without social distancing conditions, resulting in thousands of preventable deaths⁴4 Brasil. Senado Federal. Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito da Pandemia. Relatório Final. [Internet]. 2020. [acessado 2022 abr 26]. Disponível em: https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/arquivos/2021/10/26/relatorio_final-26102021-12h40-1.pdf
https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/arq... ^,2424 Ventura D, Aith F, Reis R. Crimes against humanity in Brazil's COVID-19 response - a lesson to us all. BMJ 2021; 375:n2625.. Thus, the performance of the Brazilian State can be considered as “necrobiopower”²⁵25 Bento B. Necrobiopoder: quem pode habitar o estado-nação? Cad Pagu 2018; 53:e185305.:

The State “refrained” from developing public policies, and deliberately²⁴24 Ventura D, Aith F, Reis R. Crimes against humanity in Brazil's COVID-19 response - a lesson to us all. BMJ 2021; 375:n2625. promoted the death of part of the population, generating a feeling of abandonment by this respondent:

This contradictory conduct of government policies motivated the actions of civil society and social movements in building strategies¹⁸18 Santos H, Maciel F, Martins P, Santos A, Prado N. A voz da comunidade no enfrentamento da COVID-19: proposições para redução das iniquidades em saúde. Saude Debate 2021; 45(130):763-777. for the public calamity period, showing support actions that can be related to solidarity.

Solidarity despite…

When mentioned by the respondents, solidarity was perceived as caring for the other:

When reflecting on the subject, Jodi Dean (p.40)²⁶26 Dean J. Solidarity of strangers: feminism after identity politics. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1996. defends the existence of different stages of solidarity: affective, conventional, and reflective. The affective would be shaped by strong bonds of love and friendship, referring to a restricted circle of people. The conventional one alludes to the mutual support of people who identify with specific values and goals. Although the latter is more inclusive than the former, the emphasis remains on the internal similarities of the group as opposed to the differences of others. In reflective solidarity, we recognize the other in a way that is neither immediate nor restrictively mediated. We recognize her in her difference, yet understand this difference as part of the very basis of what it means to be one of ‘us’⁶6 Dean J. Reflective solidarity. Constellations 1995; 2(1):114-140.. While Dean considers different types of solidarity, Prainsack and Buyx⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011. distinguish solidarity at different levels: interpersonal, group, and related to institutions and norms. The interpersonal occurs from person to person, the group occurs when mutual support actions are normalized, and the one related to institutions and norms occurs when the first two are consolidated as structural⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011..

Dean²⁵25 Bento B. Necrobiopoder: quem pode habitar o estado-nação? Cad Pagu 2018; 53:e185305. states that solidarity must result from an active struggle to build based on differences. The author’s proposal conceives of “we all” as “[...] solidarily bound members of an ideal communication community” who seek “[...] the recognition of our interdependency and shared vulnerability [...]” (p. 46)²⁶26 Dean J. Solidarity of strangers: feminism after identity politics. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1996.. In the interviews, the idea of shared vulnerability was mentioned based on the perception that the disease affects everyone:

A shared vulnerability was observed when some respondents realized that people close to them with similar living conditions were struggling. They perceive the abnormal situation of the other “equal” and start to consider the greater possibility of finding themselves in vulnerability.

On the other hand, putting oneself in the other’s shoes was a reason for the rising sense of responsibility for some respondents who stated not being in need:

We also identified reports of selfishness and individualism in the interviews, such as the attitude of one who thinks of himself to the detriment of the community.

Thinking about solidarity, thus, transcends speaking of mere actions to support other people. It is thinking about different forms of existence that value cooperation between beings and collectivist actions, targeting the well-being beyond individualism. With this approach, we identified cores of actions from which the respondents were organized: the family, the condominium, and the community, from the most restricted to the most comprehensive. We will approach these cores and the potential of solidarity found in them under the theoretical framework already mentioned.

Is there any solidarity in the family?

In Brazil, the 1988 Republican Constitution provides, in its article 226, that family is the pillar of society, with special protection from the State. The constitutional text brought legislative adaptations to the Brazilian reality at the time (protection of common-law marriage), while other adjustments occurred later [recognition of LGBTQIA+ marriage by the Federal Supreme Court (STF)]. Thus, the norms and their interpretations were changed based on the variability of kinship relationships and how the family system is socially built. Therefore, the family must be understood historically (p.35)²⁷27 Engels F. A origem da família, do Estado e da propriedade privada. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira; 1975.. Considering the family core, its members stood out as support in cases of infection during the pandemic, a unit to be protected, and a foundation on which social distancing measures should be followed:

The family was also considered a mutual care core, especially for older adults, a risk group. In this sense, we identified some reports on the strengthening of family bonds, the limited coexistence, and performing small services:

The emphasis on the family as a care core in this historical context should not be seen “naturally”. On the contrary, it must be understood from the viewpoint of cuts in social investments by neoliberal policies, resulting in new leading figures to manage the social issue, as explained by Pinheiro and Tomarozzi (p. 265)²⁸28 Pinheiro JMB, Tamarozzi GA. Família e Estado no capitalismo: atribuições correlatas na proteção dos indivíduos. Humanid Inov 2019; 6(18):257-267.:

Due to the family bonds that naturalize support actions, we observe disagreements about the possibility of naming them solidarity. On the one hand, Prainsack and Buyx (p. 153)⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011. believe that family bonds are much stronger than solidarity, as these actions are based on love and other emotions; therefore, they should not be qualified as such. However, Dean²⁷27 Engels F. A origem da família, do Estado e da propriedade privada. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira; 1975. states that these actions can be understood as affective solidarity. They encompass a very restricted circle of people as they are actions based on love and friendship bonds.

Condominiums: solidarity in fragmented cities

Condominiums are properties that have intensified since the 20^th century in Brazil²⁹29 Taschner SP, Bógus LMM. São Paulo o caleidoscópio urbano. São Paulo Perspec 2001; 15(1):31-44.. In general, they are privatized, closed, and monitored spaces for residence, consumption, leisure, and work (p. 211)³⁰30 Caldeira TPR. Cidade de muros: crime, segregação e cidadania em São Paulo. São Paulo: Editora 34/Edusp; 2000. where there is a pacifying feeling of order and security³¹31 Dunker CIL. Mal-estar, sofrimento e sintoma: uma psicopatologia do Brasil entre muros. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2015.. In this sense, they are considered “[...] a way of life in which precariousness, risk, and indeterminacy would have been abolished” (l. 934/937)³¹31 Dunker CIL. Mal-estar, sofrimento e sintoma: uma psicopatologia do Brasil entre muros. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2015., allowing coexistence and a sense of community among equals³¹31 Dunker CIL. Mal-estar, sofrimento e sintoma: uma psicopatologia do Brasil entre muros. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2015..

The advance of condominiums in different Brazilian cities can take different forms: sometimes, they gather different social groups and simultaneously separate them through walls and security devices; in other cases, condominiums expand to popular neighborhoods and are used for housing the metropolitan middle and working classes (p. 169/170)³²32 D'Ottaviano MCL. Condomínios fechados na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo: fim do modelo rico versus periferia pobre? São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo; 2008.. The condominiums share a prominence over their surroundings, and this structure was provenly decisive in establishing relationships and planning actions by the respondents.

In the analysis of support actions, we noticed that some respondents differentiated the actions they received or conducted among their condominium neighbors and the support actions they provided outside. The former are characterized by establishing relationships, mutual help, and using the condominium structure to control the pandemic. Support actions involved dialogue or consensus established based on condominium rules:

We noticed that the condominiums where some respondents live, regardless of region and income, sought to fill the gap left by the Brazilian State, providing conditions for social distancing.

Another relevant factor is the mention that even people with presumed higher household incomes (such as doctors and engineers) performed jobs that are usually low-skilled personnel services to support their neighbors.

However, the perception of similarity does not occur when the action is extramural. In this case, we identified reports of perceived differences between the respondents and nearby populations outside the condominium because they are supposed to be poor people and residents in crime-festered areas. Thus, the support action does not seem to be based on shared vulnerability:

Solidarity within the condominiums can be considered both affective and conventional, both interpersonal and group, depending on the relationship built between the tenants⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011.^,2626 Dean J. Solidarity of strangers: feminism after identity politics. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1996.. What stands out in the reports is the recognition of similarities, fundamental for the solidarity defined by Prainsack and Buyx⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011., between the residents and the construction of relationships that sustain and consolidate supportive action. Even if the condominium structure is controlled and designed for a community among equals³¹31 Dunker CIL. Mal-estar, sofrimento e sintoma: uma psicopatologia do Brasil entre muros. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2015., the solidarity found here is broader than the familiar one. In the opposite, extramural direction, a position of distinction, with actions that can be characterized as a charity, motivated by a moral duty or even self-protection by the most affluent people towards the poor. In this case, the asymmetry occurs in the socioeconomic difference and the fact that the most vulnerable do not participate in the construction of demand or the solution to their issues.

Communities and their solidarity networks

For those who live in the communities, the idea was not a “mere” State abandonment but a government action that sought to “wipe out” the poorest (in dialogue with necrobiopower²⁵25 Bento B. Necrobiopoder: quem pode habitar o estado-nação? Cad Pagu 2018; 53:e185305.). One respondent mentions forgetting the poorest to eliminate them:

The Brazilian State’s action did not prevent self-management actions, such as initiatives managed by residents and non-governmental organizations, such as the Unified Union of Favelas (CUFA). The groups organized themselves to prevent residents waiting for government assistance from dying of hunger¹¹11 Fleury S, Menezes P. Pandemia nas favelas: entre carências e potencias. Saude Debate 2020; 44(4):267-280.:

Hunger was a fundamental agenda of community organization, showing that the experience of its residents articulated what was later measured by research: the pandemic exacerbated hunger in Brazil. The Penssan Network (2021)³³33 Rede PENSSAN. VIGISAN. Inquérito Nacional sobre Insegurança Alimentar no Contexto da Pandemia da COVID-19 no Brasil [Internet]. 2021. [acessado 2022 abr 29]. Disponível em: http://olheparaafome.com.br/VIGISAN_Inseguranca_alimentar.pdf
http://olheparaafome.com.br/VIGISAN_Inse... argues that 55.2% of Brazilian households experience food insecurity, which was 36.7% in 2018.

These reports are consistent with other initiatives by community-led organizations that involve constant tracking of reality, identifying urgent problems, and presenting solutions (p. 7)³⁴34 United Nations (UN). United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Holding the line: communities as first responders to COVID-19 and emerging health threats. Geneva: UN; 2021.. The support actions reported focus on the joint construction of demand and shared vulnerability. Thus, even with scarcity, people share what little they have:

As we have seen, in communities, actions seem to reach a larger group of individuals and mark a capacity for action beyond necrobiopower²⁵25 Bento B. Necrobiopoder: quem pode habitar o estado-nação? Cad Pagu 2018; 53:e185305., showing that solidarity is a path of community and practical construction.

Final considerations

Reflecting on Jodi Dean’s stages of solidarity²⁶26 Dean J. Solidarity of strangers: feminism after identity politics. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1996., we can observe that the reports associated with the family core show relationships based on mutual feelings of care, described as affective solidarity. Thus, the solidary actions employed by the respondents, mainly for the care of older adults, appear restricted to a particular group and linked to affectivity. In the condominium, we noted differences between actions directed to neighbors and extramural actions. In the first case, the common interests and concerns that unite a group or community, characteristic of Dean’s conventional solidarity, were more evident. However, in the second case, support actions based on socioeconomic and territorial differences are evident, without communicability between the groups, adapting more to what Prainsack⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011.^,3535 Prainsak B. Solidarity in times of pandemics. Democr Theory 2020; 7(2):124-133. defines as a charity, since the characteristic that motivated the residents of the condominiums to act was, besides the desire to support the other, the discrepant circumstances of their lives (p. 54)³⁶36 Prainsak B, Buyx A. Solidarity in biomedicine and beyond. Cambrigde, New York: Cambrigde University Press; 2017.. Despite the differences, Dean indicates that both affective and conventional solidarity have limits that prevent their extension beyond certain groups (p. 20)²⁶26 Dean J. Solidarity of strangers: feminism after identity politics. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1996..

Stories within the community core brought the perception that the Brazilian State acted to promote the death of the poorest, considering that the “coping measures disseminated by the health authorities targeted the most affluent population strata”¹¹11 Fleury S, Menezes P. Pandemia nas favelas: entre carências e potencias. Saude Debate 2020; 44(4):267-280.. The community was the most potent and comprehensive core of action, with actions closest to the reflective solidarity ideal. Dean⁶6 Dean J. Reflective solidarity. Constellations 1995; 2(1):114-140.^,2727 Engels F. A origem da família, do Estado e da propriedade privada. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira; 1975. believes solidarity cannot be thought of as a pre-existing ethical concept but a continuous process that stirs us to communicate toward mutual engagement and recognition. Thus, solidarity as a practice, a path to follow, built from establishing relationships, brings us closer to the experiences of self-organization, perception of shared vulnerability, and recognition of interdependency in the community⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011..

Mentions of solidary actions in communities show the power of society to identify its needs, and organize and implement actions, even in an unfavorable scenario, which reinforces the idea that community-led organizations are an essential part of the public health infrastructure³⁵35 Prainsak B. Solidarity in times of pandemics. Democr Theory 2020; 7(2):124-133.. This conclusion differs from Prainsack’s thinking, which links institutional solidarity (State-borne) to interpersonal or group solidarities⁵5 Prainsack B, Buyx A. Solidarity: reflections on an emerging concept in bioethics. London: NcoB; 2011.^,3535 Prainsak B. Solidarity in times of pandemics. Democr Theory 2020; 7(2):124-133.^,3636 Prainsak B, Buyx A. Solidarity in biomedicine and beyond. Cambrigde, New York: Cambrigde University Press; 2017. since the interviews show a solidary population, regardless of and, sometimes, despite the State. Consequently, community views are essential for developing policies³⁴34 United Nations (UN). United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Holding the line: communities as first responders to COVID-19 and emerging health threats. Geneva: UN; 2021. to consolidate them based on empirical, popular, and accessible knowledge.

We should stress that the support actions described in all cores particularized policies that should be public and unrestricted in a pandemic setting, not replacing the government’s constitutional role nor erasing the criticisms formulated so far¹¹11 Fleury S, Menezes P. Pandemia nas favelas: entre carências e potencias. Saude Debate 2020; 44(4):267-280.. Finally, this work was developed as attentive listening to the participants’ voices, which stirred reflections on how solidarity stands as an essential element in people’s daily lives. The results encourage us to understand the transformative capacity of society when faced with adversity. In this context, solidarity builds bridges and is an essential reality-transforming tool, without which we would undoubtedly have had more COVID-19 victims in Brazil.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the researchers who contributed to conducting the interviews: Alexandre da Silva Costa, Fernanda Gomes Lopes, Sergio Rego, and Suely Marinho, and to the Atlas.ti® software that granted licenses to the consortium.

References

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