Migrants, mainly from Cuba, block the Paso del Norte border crossing bridge after a U.S. appeals court blocked the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, in Ciudad Juarez
(Photo : Reuters)



The government has initiated methods to control the spread of Coronavirus or Covid-19, one of which is social distancing. Despite the measures presented by the government of the United States, the Texas-Mexico border is still filled with crowds living in terrible situations while waiting for their immigration hearings. 

The Sad Truth

2,000 migrants currently reside in Matamoros. People live in temporary tents and shared bathrooms which increase the risk of getting exposed to the virus the world is up against. On top of the living condition being unsafe, basic health service is also unreliable. 

The situation in Juarez is not far from that of Matamoros. There is stagnant water on the floor and no soaps can be found in the bathroom. The living condition of the 1,500 migrants is abominable. 

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With a total of 2,500 residents living in a 2 football field size location, it is quite impossible for the community to fully implement the most effective way of slowing down the spread of the virus, social distancing. 

The Camp's Action

Helen Perry, the group's executive director showed her concern about the situation in the border. She admits that the virus can easily spread in their little community given the current situation they are in.

The camp continuously educates the migrants about the virus. They have installed additional outdoor sinks and have cancelled meetings in support of the government's social distancing recommendation. There are piles of soaps and hand sanitizers to encourage everyone to practice proper hygiene.  

Knowing that the US-Mexico border is at high-risk of getting exposed to Covid-19, Helen Perry shared that the Global Response Management has implemented additional precautionary measures to keep the migrants' health a priority. She added that they are prepared to build 2 tents with 20 beds in the camp if the virus hits the camp. 

Current Health Condition

Based on the information shared by Helen Perry, half of the medical case in the camp is related to the respiratory system. There are people with pneumonia, influenza and the likes which make them more susceptible to the virus. Also, there are about 60 pregnant women in the camp which makes it more difficult for them to manage the health situation they have at hand. 

As much as their health director hates to admit, they are aware that once the virus struck the camps, controlling the spread and seeking medical attention for those infected will be quite impossible without the help of the government. 

READ MORE: Plot Twist! Mexico Wants to Close the Border 

The first Coronavirus case in Mexico was reported in February. As of March 16, 2020, there are 53 confirmed cases and 176 suspected cases in the country. The government sees the count of the infected increase further as March ends. 

On the other hand, the US government said on Wednesday that they are not planning to totally close the US-Mexico border but rather they will implement a health-focused statute to swiftly remove the migrants who cross the borders illegally. So far, the US Border Patrol has captured 30,000 migrants attempting to cross the United States.