Sex workers must not be forgotten in the COVID-19 response

Platt, Lucy; Elmes, Jocelyn; Stevenson, Luca; Holt, Victoria L.; Rolles, Stephen; Stuart, Rachel

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)31033-3

Cited by 130 publications

(157 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…World Health Organisation shows that people with underlying medical conditions, particularly non-communicable diseases, are at a higher risk of Coronavirus infection and suffering severe disease in case they contract the virus. Although, the same has not yet been confirmed for those living with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV (Platt et al, 2020), the World Health Organization warns that those who are immunocompromised are more susceptible to opportunistic infections including COVID-19.…”

Section: Sexual and Reproductive Health Accessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to Healthcare in a time of COVID-19: Sex Workers in Crisis in Nairobi, Kenya

Gichuna

Hassan

Sanders

et al. 2020

Global Public Health

138

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This paper uses empirical data collected from 117 female sex workers living in informal settlements in Nairobi and 15 healthcare providers to highlight specific effects of COVID-19 and related restrictions on healthcare access for the sex workers. We highlight the existing gender and health inequalities that have now been reinforced by the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we focus on the most concerning healthcare needs for the sex workers including HIV prevention, care and treatment and sexual and reproductive healthcare. Our study findings reveal that the various restrictions imposed by the government to help curb the spread of COVID-19 to a large extent made it difficult for the sex workers to access their healthcare needs. The paper discusses the challenges of healthcare service delivery reflecting on some innovative and pioneering responses from health care providers to address the emergency situation.

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Section: Sexual and Reproductive Health Accessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to Healthcare in a time of COVID-19: Sex Workers in Crisis in Nairobi, Kenya

Gichuna

Hassan

Sanders

et al. 2020

Global Public Health

138

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic is accentuating social-structural inequalities, which tend to disproportionately affect marginalized people and those living in financially precarious situations (25). As countries implement public health policies to minimize transmission of SARS-CoV-2, young girls and women, people who identify as LGBTI, people who engage in sex work, informal traders, and street children are more likely to be targets of police brutality (26,27). There have also been reports of misuse of emergency powers by governments to target marginalized and vulnerable populations (27).…”

Section: Disproportionate Implications Of Violence Human Rights Abusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond the Disease: Contextualized Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Children and Young People Living in Eastern and Southern Africa

Govender

Cowden

Nyamaruze

et al. 2020

Front. Public Health

121

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created extraordinary challenges and prompted remarkable social changes around the world. The effects of COVID-19 and the public health control measures that have been implemented to mitigate its impact are likely to be accompanied by a unique set of consequences for specific subpopulations living in low-income countries that have fragile health systems and pervasive social-structural vulnerabilities. This paper discusses the implications of COVID-19 and related public health interventions for children and young people living in Eastern and Southern Africa. Actionable prevention, care, and health promotion initiatives are proposed to attenuate the negative effects of the pandemic and governmentenforced movement restrictions on children and young people.

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“…Earlier this year, Platt et al advocated that 'sex workers must not be forgotten in the COVID-19 response'. 1 The physically intimate nature of sex work makes physical distancing difficult for those who rely on it as a source of income, and there is mounting evidence that sex workers face unique transmission risks, mental health needs and socioeconomic challenges relative to COVID-19 that have largely been ignored by health organisations and governments. [2][3][4] However, sex workers have a long history of taking responsibility for public and their individual health within a model of risk reduction, especially relative to HIV, 5 which in the COVID-19 context may provide an important avenue for intervention.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex workers are returning to work and require enhanced support in the face of COVID-19: results from a longitudinal analysis of online sex work activity and a content analysis of safer sex work guidelines

et al. 2020

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Sex workers confront unique challenges in the face of COVID-19. Data from an international sex work website popular with cisgender men and transgender men and women suggest that, after a period of physical distancing, many sex workers are returning to in-person work: from May to August 2020, active sex work profiles increased 9.4% (P < 0.001) and newly created profiles increased by 35.6% (P < 0.001). Analysis of sex work and COVID-19 guidelines published by five community-based organisations found that they focused on altering sexual practices, enhancing hygiene and pivoting to virtual work. To capitalise on these guidelines, funding and research for implementation and evaluation are needed to support COVID-19 risk reduction strategies for sex workers.

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Sex workers must not be forgotten in the COVID-19 response

Cited by 130 publications

References 9 publications

Access to Healthcare in a time of COVID-19: Sex Workers in Crisis in Nairobi, Kenya

Access to Healthcare in a time of COVID-19: Sex Workers in Crisis in Nairobi, Kenya

Beyond the Disease: Contextualized Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Children and Young People Living in Eastern and Southern Africa

Sex workers are returning to work and require enhanced support in the face of COVID-19: results from a longitudinal analysis of online sex work activity and a content analysis of safer sex work guidelines

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