Prácticas culturales para prevenir la COVID-19 en una comunidad indígena.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague the world, but there are indigenous communities that have adopted various protection measures in their homes and communities. Objective: Describe cultural practices to prevent COVID-19 in an indigenous community in Peru, 2021. Method: Descriptive qualitative research. The sampling was non-probabilistic for convenience, 08 mothers and 02 fathers from the Supayacu native community participated in the study. For data collection, four interviews were applied via Zoom and six in person with prior informed consent. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: Four categories emerged: a) Communal organization: Closure of borders, process of acquisition and disinfection of provisions, b) Cultural care in food and use of traditional medicine, c) Adoption of preventive measures: Washing hands, use of masks, alcohol, hygiene of the home, d) Religious beliefs and rituals: divine punishment, fasting and prayer. Conclusions: This indigenous community used their ancestral knowledge and cultural practices to protect themselves from COVID-19, based on their organization, the closure of borders, the use of medicinal plants, and their religious beliefs. In addition, they complied with preventive measures such as hand washing, use of masks, alcohol, and social distancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]