Awareness of HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, tuberculosis and COVID-19 in migrant students in the UK - A pilot survey from an institute of higher education

Abstract

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), between June 2021 and June 2022 an estimated 1.1 million migrants entered the UK. The largest group of these migrants were economic migrants of non-EU nationality, the majority of whom (277,000) entered with study visas.1 This represents an significant increase following the lifting of travel restrictions imposed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.1 Although the majority arrived as economic migrants, there are official settlement schemes for refugees and asylum seekers, such as the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and the Afghan Resettlement Programme, that assist migrants escaping war, religious persecution or natural disasters. An estimated 35,000 asylum seekers and refugees also arrived through unofficial/illegal small boats travelling across the English Channel.1 In 2018, arrivals via small boats accounted for 2.2% of 13,377 unofficial/illegal entrance; by 2022 this figure had risen to 83.82% of 39,400 unofficial/illegal entrances, with officials attributing the increase in part to reduced port operations during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.