Impacts of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Children in Temporary Accommodation in the UK
AUTHOR(S)
Diana Margo Rosenthal; Marcella Ucci; Michelle Heys (et al.)
Published: May 2020
Journal: The Lancet Public Health
There is no doubt that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has huge economic implications as highlighted by the media, but there are also a myriad of considerable direct and indirect health, social, and educational consequences for children and families experiencing homelessness, while living in temporary or insecure accommodation (eg, staying with friends or family, sofa surfing, shelters, bed and breakfast lodging). In particular, young children (aged ≤5 years) living in temporary accommodation have an invisible plight that might not seem obvious to many people because they are not on the streets as homeless (eg, rough sleepers), but are perhaps the most susceptible to viral infection because of pre-existing conditions (eg, diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, anxiety, depression).
1 Additionally, these children rarely have the ability to self-isolate and adhere to social distancing, with previous extreme inequalities and inequities in accessing health care becoming exacerbated.
Diana Margo Rosenthal; Marcella Ucci; Michelle Heys (et al.) May 2020 Impacts of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Children in Temporary Accommodation in the UK. The Lancet Public Health, vol. 5 (5)