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Conditions for migrants are so dire that Covid-19 isn’t even their deadliest threat

Conditions for migrants are so dire that Covid-19 isn’t even their deadliest threat

Long before France became the first country in Europe to confirm a positive case of the Covid-19 respiratory disease in late January, many migrants lived in temporary or communal housing, or on the street. The same people have also been confronting a crack epidemic, harassment from police, exploitative working conditions, and repeated evictions by the authorities. As the global pandemic continues, migrants, activists, and advocates are raising the alarm in France, warning that people without legal status living outdoors, in overcrowded communal housing, or in other poor conditions are particularly vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.