migrants. Policy measures for the general population need to consider the living and working situation of these groups in order to minimize the detrimental impact of certain measures. Provision of psychological support during and after the pandemic The pandemic has a considerable impact on the mental health of refugees and migrants. Refugees and migrants living on the streets or in insecure accommodation face particular mental health difficulties and require additional support compared with those who living in less disadvan‑ taged conditions in order to deal with the high increase in mental health problems. Adequate and accessible psy‑ chological support is required, but also measures to tackle other factors that may impact their mental health, such efforts to improve their housing or working conditions and their social connectedness. Foster connectedness COVID‑19 and the public health and social measures to manage and curb the pandemic have seriously impacted the connections of refugees and migrants with their social networks, in particular networks in the country where peo‑ ple are currently living. Pandemic response plans of governments should pay due attention to the decrease in connectedness that refugees and migrants are confronted with. Fostering relationships of refugees and migrants with their social networks is cru‑ cial to avoid isolation and loss of connectedness. The most important strategy mentioned by refugees and migrants to make them feel better was staying in touch with family and friends. It is, however, often difficult for them to do so due to the circumstances they live in. Important measures, therefore, need to be taken to support and maintain social support networks. These initial findings from the survey also show the impor‑ tance of social media as an information source for many refugees and migrants. Many organizations have shifted to an online accessibility and information provision. Given the limited means many refugees and migrants have, their resources for Internet connection are likely limited, and im‑ proving this situation should be a priority. Participation of refugees and migrants The WHO Constitution strongly advocates the right to health for all. This must include refugees and migrants, a view expressed in WHO’s Global Action Plan, Promoting the 28 | Conclusions and way forward Health of Refugees and Migrants, which is aligned with the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Refugees and migrants should not be treated differently in society as that may hamper their basic human rights and rights to health. Targeted and needs-based approaches to programmes and interventions, including those for refu‑ gees and migrants, will ensure this. Refugees and migrants should not be left behind and should be included in public health actions in response to the pandemic and in the ef‑ forts to advance the goal of universal health coverage. This survey was part of a response to the call for informa‑ tion on the impact of COVID‑19 on refugees and migrants across the world. The survey has had some methodolog‑ ical and implementation limitations, as discussed above, but despite these, it provides a glimpse into the challenges faced by refugees and migrants at a global level. Further systematic studies exploring the issues highlighted in this report are needed. The value of the survey and this advoca‑ cy brief is to provide elements for a better understanding of living conditions of refugees and migrants and the various socioeconomic and public health impacts they face during the COVID‑19 response, to advocate for leaving no one be‑ hind and for providing universal health care to all including all refugees and migrants irrespective of their status and origin. This is enshrined in the WHO transformation and the principles of the triple billion target: promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. The ApartTogether survey capturing self-reported impact of COVID‑19 on refugees and migrants sheds light on some of the challenges faced by the target groups. Notwith‑ standing the methodological limitations, the information presented in this advocacy brief gives indications on the areas that need to be prioritized for further research and policy implementation. For example, additional data are needed to answer questions regarding the specific vulner‑ abilities and health impacts that are additionally created by COVID‑19 disaggregated for refugees and migrants, how this manifested among the various income quintiles with‑ in these population groups and so on. This will be critical in the development of targeted interventions and, conse‑ quently, impactful programme delivery on the ground.

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