Are We Testing Refugees Entering the US for Covid-19 Infection ?

Since we are now blocking Europeans from entering the US, the logical next question is are refugees being blocked from entry, or are they at least being tested?

(By the way I recommend a great post today at Gatestone on the extent of the virus crisis in Europe.)

As of three days ago the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that so far there had been no cases of refugees being infected with Covid-19, but all that has changed as at least one refugee In Iraq and another on the Greek island of Lesbos are reported infected.  (And, I suspect we are not hearing the full story).

Here is the UNHCR on Tuesday:

“To date and based on available evidence, there have been no reports of COVID-19 infections among refugees and asylum seekers.”

But, just 48 hours later here comes news from Zerohedge about the first Iraqi camp resident testing positive.

Nightmare Scenario: Iraq Detects Suspected Covid-19 Cases In Overcrowded Refugee Camp

And, here is a story from The Guardian that was published only a day after the UNHCR spoke.  Lesbos is a Greek island overrun by Middle East refugees.

Lesbos coronavirus case sparks fears for refugee camp

I’m sure there will be more reports like these in the coming days and weeks.

In the US, the first question I’ve seen about whether refugees are being tested comes from Tennessee where the criticism against Republican Governor Bill Lee has been intense for his eagerness to welcome more impoverished (costly for taxpayers) refugees to the state.

From the Dailyrollcall.com:

Are Bill Lee’s Refugees Being Screened for Coronavirus?

Good question!

So dear Mr. President, are we testing refugees coming into the US since much of the world is now infected?

Editor’s note:  As RRW approaches its 13th birthday, there are over 10,000 posts archived here at Refugee Resettlement Watch. Unfortunately, it is just me here with no staff and so it has become virtually impossible to answer all of the basic questions that come into my e-mail inbox or to RRW’s facebook page every day. I don’t want to appear rude—I simply haven’t enough hours in the day.

Please take time to visit RRW (don’t just read posts in your e-mail) and use the search window in the right hand sidebar and see if you can find the information you need.  Also see my series that I wrote in recent months entitled Knowledge is Power which explains some basic principles of how Refugee Resettlement is carried out in the US.

And, lastly, I don’t write that much every day, so if you made a habit of reading my posts here on a daily basis, you would eventually catch on to what is happening because I do link back to previous posts as much as possible. LOL!  Thank you for helping me not go crazy!