Deterioration of mental health and insufficient Covid-19 information among disadvantaged immigrants in the greater Paris area

“Lived the Pandemic Twice”: A Scoping Review of the Unequal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Asylum Seekers and Undocumented Migrants

“…Several studies documented low levels of knowledge about transmission and symptoms of COVID-19 [ 37 , 39 , 54 ] and poor understanding of infection control measures [ 49 ] compared to the host population. Several factors contributed to differential effectiveness of information and communication interventions.…”

“…In addition, communication of government information specifically targeting groups with precarious or no legal status was not effective: none of the undocumented and asylum seekers interviewed in a U.K. study had heard of recent announcements that vaccines would be given without immigration checks [ 34 ]. In France, only a few knew of the extension of residency permits and State Medical Aid [ 37 ]. In both countries, the evidence suggested that government information was insufficient [ 37 ] and generated “a lot of confusion” [ 34 ].…”

“…In France, only a few knew of the extension of residency permits and State Medical Aid [ 37 ]. In both countries, the evidence suggested that government information was insufficient [ 37 ] and generated “a lot of confusion” [ 34 ]. Consequently, asylum seekers felt “most abandoned or scared due to a lack of understandable, clear official information” and relied on informal and unreliable information sources [ 34 ], which had implications for vaccine and/or testing uptake [ 34 , 42 ].…”

“…There are also some studies that showed the direct impact of lockdown on rising depression and anxiety by comparing before and after lockdown rates. In one French study, the prevalence of depression increased (72% vs. 65%) [ 37 ]. Symptoms also worsened among undocumented migrants in Italy (50% worsened anxiety, 38% worsened depression) [ 25 ] and the U.S. (49% worsened anxiety, 46% worsened depression) [ 51 ].…”

“…For instance, undocumented migrants in Switzerland reported more food insecurity (77.4% vs. 54.1%) and food insecurity with hunger (29.9% vs. 20%) during lockdown than regularised people ( p = 0.025) [ 7 ]. While food insecurity among undocumented migrants was more often reported during lockdown than before in France [ 37 ] and the U.S. [ 43 , 47 , 51 ], the atmosphere in some settings was that “dying from the virus is better than dying from hunger” [ 29 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic control measures also exacerbated the pre-pandemic housing insecurity among asylum seekers and undocumented migrants [ 7 , 51 ] with people unable to pay rent [ 40 , 43 , 45 ] and/or facing eviction [ 29 ].…”