[ad_1]
US Customs and Border Protection officials confirmed on Tuesday that they would not provide flu shots to migrants and refugees on the southern border, despite the deaths of three children related to influenza.
"In general, because of the short-term nature of CBP's portfolio and the complexity of the current vaccination programs, neither CBP nor its medical providers are administering vaccines to those in our custody," he said. a spokeswoman for CBP in a statement Tuesday.
Officials also said that medical staff working in the border facilities had increased significantly in recent years, with over 200 people now working to protect migrants. By 2018, only 20 medical staff were employed at the border. "Medical staff available on-site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to diagnose and treat illnesses, treat infectious disease issues, and coordinate the direction and monitoring of the local health system / treatment rooms. Emergency, "the statement from a spokeswoman for CBP also said. She also said that migrants determined to vaccinate health professionals would receive them if necessary.
[[[[Read also: Lawyers suing Trump administration for failing to provide detained migrants with adequate medical care]
The large influx of migrants seeking refugee status on the southern border has affected health professionals and lawmakers as a result of influenza-related deaths. "When I learned that several children had died in custody of potentially avoidable causes, it really disturbed me," said Dr. Jonathan Winickoff of Harvard Pediatrics. "The country needs urgent answers to this question so that children stop dying in detention."
"When you're a border patrol, enforcing the law, and giving it responsibility for medical care, the mission is complicated," said Dr. Julie Linton, Chair of the American Academy Council. of Pediatrics on the health of children and immigrant families. "It's essential to speak as doctors." Mr Linton also criticized the conditions of reception of migrants and the fact that they are overcrowded and unhealthy. "We can do many things to prevent deaths and infections, do not include children in cage-like facilities or warehouses," she said.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has posted a notice on its website detailing the medical treatments and screenings that migrants should expect. "Refugees and immigrants who want to be admitted to the United States must pass a medical examination," says the site. "During the medical examination, a health professional checks for the presence of specific diseases and assesses vaccination status.The health professional can perform blood tests to determine which vaccines the refugee or the patient has. immigrant may need. "
The CDC website also details a program developed jointly with the State Department, which offers vaccination to asylum seekers through legal entry points in the United States. The program describes its ethics as follows: "Immunizations are offered to refugees (and, to the extent possible, Visa 93 applicants) according to their age, immunization history and eligibility."
[ad_2]
Source link