Abstract
From the outset of the epidemic, the elderly have been considered vulnerable to Covid-19, both worldwide and in Africa. An anthropological study carried out in Dakar and in various localities in Senegal shows that the elderly, often worried for themselves and their loved ones, played a leading role in the application of health measures within their families. The high proportion of severe forms and deaths linked to Covid-19 among the elderly was reported by the WHO as soon as the epidemic broke out in China, and subsequently confirmed in various countries. In Senegal, the local press and health authorities, as soon as the first case occurred on March 2, 2020, highlighted the vulnerability of the elderly, who were considered a group to be protected. In response to the epidemic, a series of public health measures were introduced and reinforced from March 23, 2020 with the promulgation of a state of health emergency. These measures were gradually eased, and the state of emergency was lifted in June 2020. These measures were variously accepted or tolerated by the population, depending on the level of constraints and the consequences on daily life. How did the elderly cope with the epidemic and the repeated mention of their medical vulnerability?