A Culturally-Competent Approach to Emergency Management: What Lessons Can We Learn From the COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic, like other disasters, is exposing and exacerbating social, economic, and health care inequalities. Although the ethical and clinical imperative of providing culturally-competent health care has long been recognized, the influence of culturally-competent interventions within emergency management has not been systematically examined. This paper discusses several culturally-competent strategies that were taken by the Israeli national and local authorities in high-risk areas and communities during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition to controlling the pandemic outbreak, such an approach has the potential to reduce social disparities in health care, promote community resilience, and facilitate social cohesion.