The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted society. Vulnerable populations are at heightened risk for exposure, as well as adverse health and social consequences. Policymakers are operating under difficult circumstances, making crucial policy decisions to maximize impact and mitigate harm, with limited scientific evidence. This article examines the pronounced vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples in Canada to the pandemic. We highlight the importance of moving beyond individual-level risk factors associated with COVID-19 by identifying and classifying Indigenous communities most vulnerable to the pandemic. We propose the use of a social diagnostic tool, the Community Well-Being Index, rooted in the social determinants of health, to predict community vulnerability and potentially guide policy decision-making in the fight against COVID-19.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19大流行：告知弱势群体的政策决策

COVID-19大流行严重影响了社会。弱势人群面临更大的暴露风险以及不利的健康和社会后果。决策者在困难的环境中运作，在科学证据有限的情况下，制定关键的政策决策以最大化影响并减轻损害。本文探讨了加拿大土著人民明显受到大流行影响的脆弱性。我们通过识别和分类最容易受到大流行影响的土著社区，超越与COVID-19相关的个人风险因素的重要性。我们建议使用根植于健康的社会决定因素的社会诊断工具，即社区幸福指数，来预测社区的脆弱性并潜在地指导与COVID-19斗争的政策决策。