The Department of Health will not do covid-19 screenings or routine medical examinations to the refugees that they arrive in Catalonia from Ukraine, according to department sources. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warn that the war, in which there are overcrowding, The pandemic will worsen and that is why they ask to test both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Salut will only test symptomatic people, just like the rest of the population.
Refugees from Ukraine, once they arrive in Catalonia, have directly access to the health system, without the need to register as was the case until now. But, “unless they need it” no “routine examination” will be made to them and, therefore, “It is not indicated to carry out any type of specific test”, these sources of the ‘conselleria’ specify. They will be treated, they insist, “like any other Catalan citizen”.
For his part, the Ministry of Health yes he is doing antigen test to refugees arriving through ports and airports, in the calls foreign health points. Spain requires a covid passport, negative vaccination tests or PCR from any tourist who sets foot in Spanish territory. Since the Ukrainian is “an exceptional situation” nuance sources of Health, displaced people are not being asked for these tests, but they are being antigens upon arrival in the country.
Epidemiologists like Joan Cayla, member of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology (SEE), ask to make antigen screens among Ukrainian refugees, offer them “Medical reviews” and also the covid-19 vaccine. Ukraine has a vaccination rate against the coronavirus of 35.5% of the first dose, 34.3% of the two doses and only 1.6% of the booster dose. “The problem is that at the borders or customs many people are crowded. Some are two days or more packed into buses. The more crowded, increased risk of transmission,” says Caylà, who insists that control of the pandemic remains “a priority.”
This epidemiologist asks the organisms let them “go” to offer them a medical control of covid-19 to Ukrainian refugees. “She is a urgent matter. Also, Ukraine he also has a lot of tuberculosis, tests should be done to rule out whether these people have active or latent infection,” he adds.
The who has already expressed concern that the war in Ukraine worsens the pandemic. Ukraine, since the Russian invasion began, stopped counting cases. According to the WHO, there is a risk that more serious infections and more deaths due to low vaccination rates in the country. The same organization has asked not to fall into stereotypes about refugees and diseases.
“Yes OK there is no evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 transmission is higher among migrants and refugees, the environmental factors, such as overcrowding in reception and detention centers, can increase your exposure to the disease. Outbreaks in reception and detention centers can also spread rapidly in the absence of adequate prevention measures,” says a recent guide published by the ECDC.
The circulation of the virus is not greater among immigrants, but the environmental factors of the reception centers do increase transmission
The ECDC defends that reception and detention centers for migrants and refugees should have “priority for testing”, due to the risk of “rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 in these settings”. According to the ECDC, all people with symptoms compatible with covid-19 must be tested upon arrival and asymptomatic newcomers they may also be considered for testing to reduce the “risk of introduction” of cases into reception and detention centers.
Recommendations to doctors
Salut has developed a document for professionals primary care with recommendations for the Ukrainian population, since the vaccination calendar is different from the Spanish one. The document, to which EL PERIÓDICO has had access and which is entitled ‘Vaccination recommendations for people displaced from Ukraine’, defends offering these people the administration of the necessary vaccines according to current recommendations in Catalonia.
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It also notes, citing the WHO, that communicable diseases with a “possible risk of spreading” among the Ukrainian population are the measles, polio, tuberculosis, HIV, diarrheal diseases and covid-19.