Barua A, Karia RH. Challenges Faced by Rohingya Refugees in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Annals of Global Health. 2020; 86(1): 129, 1–3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3052 VIEWPOINT Challenges Faced by Rohingya Refugees in the COVID-19 Pandemic Amit Barua* and Rutu Hitesh Karia† In August 2017, Bangladesh saw a massive influx of Rohingya refugees following their violent persecution by the Myanmar authorities. Since then, the district of Cox’s Bazar has been home to nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees living in the densely populated and unhygienic camps. The refugees have been living in makeshift settlements which are cramped into one another, making it extremely difficult to maintain “social distance”. The overcrowded conditions coupled with the low literacy level, lack of basic sanitation facilities, face masks and gloves and limited communication make these camps an ideal place for the virus to spread rapidly. As nations struggle to contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus, refugees are one such population who are extremely vulnerable to the effects of this outbreak. If issues are not addressed at an early stage, its effects can be catastrophic. In August 2017, Bangladesh saw a massive influx of Rohingya refugees into its territory in Cox’s Bazar following their violent persecution by the Myanmar authorities, which the United Nations described as a textbook example of “ethnic cleansing” [1]. Since then, the district of Cox’s Bazar has been home to nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees living in extremely harsh, overcrowded and unhygienic conditions. They continue to survive and live under clouds of distress, constantly burdened with the helplessness of being ripped off their identity, the agony of being stateless, the sadness of having no home to call their own and the anguish of losing their loved ones. Three years into their exodus and yet no agreement has been reached on their peaceful repatriation back to their homeland. However, since early 2020, governments across most nations have imposed lockdowns, shut down businesses, closed schools, and banned all recreational activities and social gatherings, in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition to these, mandatory measures like use of thermal scanners in workplaces, prohibition of domestic and international travel, and quarantine period for incoming travellers were enforced by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB). Unable to implement these measures successfully due to repeated violations of the lockdown, the government resorted to take help from the armed forces to run quarantine centres, provide emergency services and carry out government provided public health directives within the country. However, a specialised lockdown was levied in Cox’s Bazar which restricted entry into or exit from the district, except for emergency * Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Chattogram, BD † Anna Medical College and Research Centre, MU Corresponding author: Amit Barua, MBBS (amit-dx619@hotmail.com) food and medical supplies [2]. Thermal screening and handwashing points at the entry of each camp were placed. The testing capacity for COVID-19 was increased in Cox’s Bazar with the help of the United Nations and other aid agencies. While a vast majority of the world population have confined themselves to the walls of their homes, implementing the new norms of “social distancing” and “handwashing”, one cannot help but ask: how does a refugee incorporate these new norms into their daily life while living in the densely populated camps? Standing on the top of the hill of Camp-22, all that meets the eye are endless makeshift shelters cramped into one another, with every inch of space utilized to the fullest. Each family, regardless of the size, has a few square meters of land surrounded by walls made of bamboo, to call it their home, their private space. Curtains of silk or plastic sheets divide the interior creating the false illusion of living in separate rooms. Shelters are placed so close to each other that a couple of steps outside the shelter might risk a trespass into the territory of the neighbours. This arrangement makes not only social distancing impossible but also eliminates the possibility of cross-ventilation which is vital to reduce the potential of airborne transmission of COVID19 [3]. Communal toilets and bathing facilities are installed at various points in the camps. These are to be shared by almost everyone living in the camp. Residents of different tents/households have to share the same facilities as there is one latrine for every 19 persons and one bathing facility for every 41 individuals [4]. While some have soaps and water points installed, others have no provision for any sort of handwashing facilities. To collect water for drinking and daily chores, people gather around water points. To access these facilities, one must walk a few meters, thus making it difficult for women and children to access at night for security reasons. These facilities, being shared by everyone, can serve as a hotspot for the transmission of the virus.