The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) released recommendations for cases and outbreaks in asylum-seeker accommodation settings which emphasizes the health concerns of a large number of asylum seekers being kept in processing centers.
Thousands of migrants traveling through the Manston processing station will be vaccinated against diphtheria after dozens of cases of the extremely contagious disease were identified in England, health authorities have announced.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) stated that it is collaborating with the Home Office to vaccinate migrants at the center after the Home Office disclosed on November 10 that 39 cases of diphtheria had been identified in asylum seekers in England in 2022.
The UKHSA warned that accommodations should be considered “high-risk for infectious diseases.”
In many cases, the agency reported, the disease was contracted abroad and brought to the United Kingdom, and it emphasized the need to “minimize the risk of further transmission.”
The document, sent by the UKHSA to the Home Office and public health directors, indicates the danger to the general public is judged very low.
It increases the risk of diseases such as diphtheria and scabies in processing centers and asylum seeker housing and suggests that cases could strain local health services.
The note states, “Many of the individuals passing through Manston Immigration Centre come from countries with disrupted health services, low vaccination rates, and a high prevalence of infectious diseases.”
These individuals’ lengthy journeys and their use of shared facilities have increased the risk of infections and outbreaks.
Increased cases are attributed to overcrowding.
According to information provided to accommodation staff, “the number of asylum-seekers infected with infectious diseases is rising.”
This is due to factors such as sharing accommodations and overcrowding, long journeys and poor conditions while traveling, low vaccination coverage, and an increase in the prevalence of certain infectious diseases across the globe.
Swindon, Sheffield, Kent, Birmingham, Hertfordshire, and Greater Manchester are at risk for potential outbreaks.
Recommendations for immunizations and antibiotics
Dr. Gayatri Amirthalingam, the UKHSA’s deputy director of public health programs, confirmed that the Home Office and the UKHSA are currently collaborating to implement vaccines and antibiotics at Manston.
“The UKHSA has been working closely with the Home Office at the Manston Reception Centre, where several cases of diphtheria and other infections have been reported,” he said.
“We recommend that diphtheria vaccinations and antibiotics be made available to people at the center as well as those who have moved on in the past few weeks.
We are collaborating with the Home Office and the NHS to make this a reality.
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated, “We are aware of a small number of diphtheria cases reported in Manston.” Complete medical advice and protocols have been adhered to.
“We take the well-being of those under our care and our broader public health responsibilities very seriously. As a result, we will continue to work closely with the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency to support the affected individuals and limit the spread of the infection, including the distribution of diphtheria vaccines.
A discount for crossing the English Channel?
In the meantime, a deal between the United Kingdom and France regarding crossings of the English Channel is anticipated to be reached within the next week.
Before the weekend, the provisional total of arrivals for 2022 was 39,913, but more people arrived in the United Kingdom on Saturday for the first time this month following a period of bad weather.
