From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, attention was raised to protect vulnerable populations, including migrants and refugees (M&R), with the claim to leave no one behind in the pandemic response. In particular, concern was expressed in M&R’s reception centres since several COVID-19 outbreaks had been observed in Europe. Our study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in the Italian reception system in the first pandemic wave in terms of incidence and health outcomes. A national survey focusing on the lockdown period of early 2020 was performed among reception centre managers. The survey achieved reaching around 70% of reception facilities and hosts. A national cumulative incidence of 400 positive cases per 100,000 and a north–south geographical gradient were observed. Sixty-eight facilities out of the 5038 participating in the survey reported confirmed cases and few COVID-19 clusters were detected especially in accommodations with the highest facility saturation index. Positive migrants were hospitalised in 25.9% of cases and no COVID-19 related deaths were observed. The study highlighted a cumulative incidence of cases and a geographical distribution similar to that of the general resident population, showing a global COVID-19 resilience in the Italian reception system in the period of observation, well beyond the expectations.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, public health, migrant health, 【초록키워드】 Resilience, Europe, pandemic, lockdown, COVID-19 pandemic, outcomes, Vulnerable populations, Health, COVID-19 outbreak, death, Cluster, incidence, cumulative incidence, geographical distribution, observation, confirmed case, incidence of cases, saturation index, confirmed cases, hosts, South, National, cumulative, positive, hospitalised, populations, Italian, PROTECT, highest, evaluate, reported, raised, was performed, expressed, 【제목키워드】 Impact, System, Italian,