Impact and Coping Strategies among Vulnerable Groups: An Urban-Rural Resilience Trajectory of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on the livelihoods of vulnerable groups. Previous studies have indicated that vulnerable groups in urban areas suffer more economic impacts than their counterparts in rural areas, largely due to mobility restrictions, social and physical distancing measures, and pre-pandemic vulnerabilities, exacerbating the challenges that urban groups face to survive. This article examines variations in the impacts and coping strategies of vulnerable groups in selected urban and rural areas in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic, and determines how these impacts and coping strategies have shaped the trajectory of community resilience. The article argues that although vulnerable groups in urban areas are more susceptible to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, both urban and rural groups share the same lack of capacity to address the impacts of the pandemic. The study finds that the government continues to struggle to provide timely and well-targeted assistance to the worst affected groups. The government has demonstrated low capacity in delivering transparent and coherent messages on the risks of the pandemic in order to increase the community’s capacity for resilience. Primary data were collected using qualitative research methods in the form of in-depth interviews with a wide range of informants, including vulnerable groups, community leaders, and local government officials.