Moving Beyond Solidarity Rhetoric In Global Health

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic witnessed increased appeals to solidarity as a necessary condition for overcoming the devastating effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reducing inequalities, and protecting vulnerable populations at national and international levels. In the early stages of the pandemic, despite the challenges associated with social distancing and lockdowns as mitigation measures, people everywhere found creative ways to express solidarity through various acts of sympathy and reaching out to assist others.
Leaders of countries appealed to solidarity to enforce public health measures to protect the vulnerable, save lives, and keep healthcare systems from being overwhelmed, employing such slogans as “we are all in this together”, “no one is safe until everyone is safe” and “if anyone is left behind, we are all held back.”