During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian state of Kerala stood out as a global model for a successful response to the virus, receiving global recognition for its performance despite widespread shortcomings in many affluent countries. This study examines how the state’s recent events, which were declared disasters, namely, COVID-19 and the 2018 flood-have affected Malayalees, or people from Kerala, and how those responses have permeated the state’s pre-existing socioeconomic edges. Coastal communities, previously lauded for their heroic efforts during the 2018 flood, found themselves stigmatized as “super spreaders” during the second wave of the pandemic, illustrating a stark reversal in public perception and sudden amnesia. This shift underscores the concept of "bio-moral marginality," as proposed by Oscella, wherein socio-economic marginalization shapes differential responses and consequences to crises such as COVID-19. Through case studies among the coastal communities of Puthiyathura, Shatikulangara, and Neendakara, this paper delves into the intricacies of stigma formation and its impact on the lives of individuals and groups. It argues that stigma arises from a fundamental dichotomy between “us” and “them”, perpetuated by unconscious beliefs of normalcy and disease-free status of the “self”, leading to dishonored labels and criticism of the entire ways of life of the marginal community. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the imperative of understanding crises like COVID-19 not merely in terms of medical outcomes but as processes shaped by human responses and societal structures. By unraveling the complexities of stigma and marginality, it offers insights into building more inclusive and resilient responses to future pandemics and disasters by understanding the plights of marginalized people.