HIGHLIGHTS ĥ The 30 000 refugees and migrants – be it refugees, people seeking international pro‑ tection, internally displaced people, internal migrants, international migrants for various reasons, returnees or people stranded due to COVID‑19 situations, irregular migrants and stateless people – who participated in the survey indicated that the pandemic has had a significant impact on their access to work, safety and financial means, as well as on their social and mental well-being. Over‑ all on a scale of 0 to 10 (1 being no impact, and 10 the worst), nearly three quarters of the respondents indicated that COVID‑19 impacted them at a scale of 7 or higher. ĥ Respondents living on the streets or in inse‑ cure accommodation and in asylum centres and irregular migrants reported suffering the worst impact of COVID‑19 on their daily lives and were less likely to seek care for suspected COVID‑19-symptoms. Over a quarter of the respondents without any schooling indicat‑ ed that they wouldn’t seek medical care even when they had COVID‑19 symptoms. ĥ Of those who indicate not seeking health care, 35% of the survey respondents report financial constraints prevent them from seeking health care, and a further 22% fear of deportation. ĥ Refugees and migrants participating in the survey highlighted significant impact on their mental health conditions – at least 50% of the respondents across various parts of the world indicated that COVID‑19 brought about greater level of depression, worry, anxiety and loneliness. ĥ One in five respondents also expressed de‑ terioration of mental health in terms of in‑ creased use of drugs and alcohol. ĥ Refugees and migrants also experienced significant discrimination. Again, respond‑ ents living in asylum centres or living on the streets and in other precarious conditions, such as those on unpaid work or sent home without pay, indicated being affected the worst in terms of perceived discrimination – highest prevalence among those living on the streets or insecure accommodation – 40% of those belonging to this group that participated in the survey. ĥ Refugees and migrants should be included as full residents and as part of the solution in response plans. ĥ Policy and legal principles and practice should delink immigration enforcement systems from health-care provision. ĥ Public health measures to prevent COVID‑19 should encompass fully refugees and mi‑ grants. ĥ Poor housing and working conditions should be tackled. ĥ This perception survey provides better un‑ derstanding of living conditions of refugees and migrants during COVID‑19 response to advocate for leaving no one behind and for providing for the most vulnerable within the WHO principles of the triple billion tar‑ get: promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.

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