This scoping review examines the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on vulnerable populations. By synthesizing results from 265 studies worldwide, the review reveals unintended consequences such as prolonged loneliness, mental distress, unemployment, income loss, food insecurity, widened inequality, and disrupted access to social support and health services. These negative impacts disproportionately affected older people, children, low-income populations, migrant workers, prisoners, people with disabilities, sex workers, victims of domestic violence, refugees, ethnic minorities, and sexual and gender minorities, highlighting how physical distancing exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities.

Lili Li, Araz Taeihagh, Si Ying Tan