As global citizens, we believe we must continue to support and protect vulnerable refugees around the world even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Yet to date, the UN Refugee Agency estimates 168 countries have partially or fully closed their borders in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus, and of those, 90 are making no exception for people seeking asylum.
This is the wrong choice. Closing borders and stopping pathways to asylum will not make our communities safer from coronavirus. War, violence and persecution have not ended in the face of this pandemic, and refugees are still being forced to flee. They need support and protection now as much as ever.
Refugee protection and public health can — and need to — go hand-in-hand. Through the use of screening, testing and other prevention and safety measures, we call on global leaders to keep borders and pathways to asylum open to protect refugees who are forced to flee. A global response to this pandemic must include refugees.
Every action counts. Add your name to stand up for refugees. Countless more lives depend on it.