Covid-19 and the slum paradox

We need studies on existing infections and the seroprevalence of other coronavirus species.

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of Covid-19 was first declared as a pandemic in 2019. Since then, its devastating consequences have been observed worldwide, including in Nepal, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and leaving many more people living with post-COVID syndrome. To prevent infection, people were advised to practice hand washing, wear masks and maintain physical distance during the outbreaks. However, although some individuals living in the slum area near our hospital in Teku were found to be infected with Covid-19, no outbreak was observed. It immediately drew my attention, as maintaining physical distance, wearing masks regularly, and frequent hand washing are not feasible for slum dwellers, who are often compelled to live in small, crowded spaces where the virus could easily spread through close contact (by coughing). This raises important questions: Did Covid-19 really skip the slums? And if not, why was the virus not as severe compared to non-slum areas?