Public health emergencies require quick action. These are situations in which we must adapt our ability to respond to unforeseen scenarios. Therefore, governments, institutions, and specialists must know and learn from the impacts of previous epidemics in order to face their effects. Studies on the social impact of the recent Zika virus epidemic in Brazil show how girls and women were disproportionately affected when compared to men — and thousands of them are still experiencing the consequences of the Zika virus legacy. Predictably, the same will happen again, possibly even more seriously, given the current public health emergency. Gender, class, and racial inequalities must be recognized in order to face the social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
