Inequality, Trust and Fear: Migrant Healthcare During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Many migrants are considered to be disadvantaged regarding their social, economic and health outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic these inequalities grew starker, especially in healthcare, as migrants were at increased risk of exposure and had a reduced ability to seek care or access support. This paper will explore these issues through the analysis of narrative interviews gathered during a large-scale, cross-European project which explored the experiences of 740 marginalised individuals, including migrants, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We build upon Beck's concept of the ‘risk society’ by exploring the ways in which neoliberal states have created exposure to risk; however, we also adopt a critical approach in examining how risk is not distributed equally. The following themes were revealed: first, migrants were often more exposed to the virus due to their occupational status. Second, migration status had an impact on access to healthcare, with undocumented migrants especially vulnerable. Third, the intersection between health crises and trust was identified: on the one hand, migrants lack of trust in host country institutions affected their engagement with services; on the other, they also experienced a lack of trust in them, as they were often perceived as a ‘risk’ in relation to the virus.