Problems Faced During the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 brought widespread social isolation, anxiety, and economic instability. No aspect of societal function was unaffected, including anthropologists’ ability to use traditional face-to-face methodologies. In this paper, we describe our adaptation to these constraints as we examine the problems people faced during the early pandemic. We draw on cultural ecology to discuss how researchers and the public adapted to extraordinarily challenging environments. We conducted an anonymous online survey with Connecticut residents to assess behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes about COVID-19 early in the pandemic. Four hundred and ninety-four people took the survey; 92 percent of respondents were concerned about family members, and 33 percent reported moderate anxiety. We found that the pandemic added a significant burden of unpaid labor for women due to social isolation, loss of income, and abrupt termination of childcare. Confusion over the nature of COVID-19 furthermore exacerbated anxiety levels. The pandemic requires anthropologists to implement creative and safe methodologies.