“Thrown into the Unknown”: Uncertainty and the Experiences of HCWs During the Pandemic in Chile, Brazil and Argentina

Abstract

This chapter analyses the experiences of healthcare workers (HCW) when dealing with the unknown generated by COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, Brazil and Argentina, were the uncertainties caused by the pandemic itself, converge with previous social, political and economic incertitudes in the region. The chapter analyses the constantly changing protocols and norms, as a source of uncertainty, as well as the own characteristic of the virus and the lack of protection equipment. HCW had to deal with the unknown in real time developing strategies to cope with it. The following pages highlight their ability to cope with these context as well as the lessons learned during 2020.