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Migrants in the UK face a multitude of healthcare barriers - these include language, lack of understanding of care entitlement, and fear of legal repercussions (including deportation). Knights et al. draws our attention to the effects COVID-19 is having on the migrant population, particularly how it is perpetuating these existing barriers.1 Together with these barriers, migrants have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, displaying an increased risk of exposure and infection of the virus.2 However, despite marginalised death rates, migrant populations have not been made a ‘priority’ group for vaccination.3
To resolve health disparities, the UK government is providing free COVID vaccinations for undocumented migrants without requirements for immigration checks.4 Despite this policy, vaccination hesitancy remains in migrant populations. This has been attributed to insufficient information in local languages, concerns over vaccine side effects, and distrust in government guidance over immigration checks.5 Hesitancy is perpetuated further through the sharing of false information surrounding vaccine safety. This stems from a lack of accessible translated information, a known major cause of vaccination deterrence.6 Thus, to ensure the safety of the UK population, it is vital that this issue is addressed.
Doctors of The World have translated the UK...
Competing Interests: None declared.