COVID and the convergence of three crises in Europe

Abstract

Comment e248www.thelancet.com/public-health Vol 5 2020 disease prevention and better social protection across the EU can only be achieved by the re-allocation of competences across different policy levels, and by implementing global solutions (including the International Labour Organization's global Social Protection Floors recommendation, the Sustainable Development Goals, and rights-based approaches on migrants and refugees) that are already on the table.We declare no competing interests.

The global COVID-19 response must include refugees and migrants

“…It has become evident that the pandemic will have a long-lasting and substantial influence on our society, globally and locally, far beyond health. This outbreak of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) will also shed light on pre-existing challenges, such as the refugee crisis, which are converging with the pandemic [1]. It is now crucial that the unique needs of the refugee and migrant population are included in the global response to COVID-19 [2].…”

“…The first unaccompanied minor refugees have been accepted in Germany and Luxemburg. However, to accommodate an estimated 42,000 refugees in the Mediterranean region requiring relocation, a pan-European coordination of prevention is needed [1,9] (fig. 4).…”

Beyond Coronativism: The Need For Agape

“…Also in the EU, the union that was actually founded with the aim to create solidarity and to protect the rule of law and human rights beyond borders, the national oppositions have been magnified during the corona crisis (Bozorgmehr et al . 2020). Again, an emergency situation resulted in an internal clash.…”

“…The inhumane camps are the heartbreaking consequence of a lack of solidarity in the distribution of the reception of refugees, the previous crisis in the EU (Bozorgmehr et al . 2020; Kelly et al . 2020; van Houtum & Bueno Lacy 2020).…”

“…The refugees are now yet again left to their own devices, with potential devastating lethal consequences (Bozorgmehr et al . 2020; Brandenberger et al . 2020; Hopman et al .…”