Protecting Communities and Addressing Concerns: COVID-19

Hello Friends,

We wanted to reassure our supporters that we are taking appropriate steps to prepare our case managers and clients for a local coronavirus outbreak. We have taken numerous preventative measures to ensure their safety. Our staff want nothing more than to protect the most vulnerable communities. This said, we would also like to address concerns and stereotypes surrounding the virus and our neighbors.

Here are some facts to keep in mind:

1) Research by the World Health Organization shows that “refugees and migrants do NOT pose an increased threat for further spread of respiratory infections, including from viruses."

2) There have been no reports of COVID-19 outbreaks in refugee camps, nor along the US southern border.

3) Fear and misinformation represent two of the most significant threats to the containment and prevention of COVID-19.

4) The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to follow the guidance of the World Health Organization and the CDC. Refugees go through substantive health screens before they are approved for resettlement.

5) Living and working near resettled refugees does NOT put any person at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Suggesting that migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers bring or spread diseases is a long-standing xenophobic trope that has been continually proven to be factually inaccurate.