Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on global health and society, extending beyond physical illness to encompass psychological, economic, and social dimensions. One of the significant social repercussions of the pandemic has been the rise of xenophobia and discrimination against certain groups, particularly those perceived to be associated with the initial outbreak of the virus. This review examines the nature, causes, and consequences of post-COVID xenophobia, drawing from existing literature and case studies .
Methods: To identify relevant studies on post-COVID xenophobia, a systematic search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science. The search was conducted in Jun 2024 to ensure a comprehensive capture of available literature. The following keywords and phrases were utilized to perform the search. Boolean operators (AND, OR) were employed to refine and broaden the search strategy: "post-COVID-19" OR "post- SARS-CoV-2" “after” OR "xenophobia" OR "discrimination" OR "racism" OR "stigma", "anti-Asian" OR "immigrant discrimination" OR "social attitudes", "public health" OR "social impacts" OR "community responses" from the year of 2023 until present.
Results: Totally 47 articles were retrieved that among them 12 articles were included. Post-COVID xenophobia represents a significant challenge that has implications not only for affected individuals but for societal wellbeing as a whole. Understanding the complex interplay of fear, misinformation, and historical context is essential for developing effective interventions .
Conclusion: Moving forward, concerted efforts at individual, community, and policy levels are required to combat xenophobia, promote inclusivity, and ensure that the lessons learned during this pandemic help build a more equitable society.