Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health shock, but the secondary economic shock is equally formidable. Access to timely, policy-relevant information on the awareness of, responses to and impacts of the health situation and related restrictions are critical to effectively design, target and evaluate programme and policy interventions. This research project investigates the main socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic on UNHCR people of concern (PoC) – and nationals where possible – in terms of access to information, services and livelihoods opportunities. Three geographic regions were taken into consideration: Southern Mexico, Mexico City and the Northern and Central Industrial Corridor. Two rounds of data collection took place for this survey, with the purpose of following up with the respondents.

Geographic coverage

Southern Mexico, Mexico City, Northern and Central Mexico

Analysis unit

Household

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The ProGres database served as the sampling frame due to the unavailability of other reliable sources. Likewise, the sample was stratified by location and population groups based on country of origin helping to account for the different economic realities from one part of the country to another, as well as differences between nationalities. Following discussion with the UNHCR country team and regional bureau, three geographic regions were presented for consideration : a) Southern Mexico; b) Mexico City; and c) the Northern and Central Industrial Corridor. Additionally, partners expressed interest in the Venezuelan community as a separate group, primarily residing in Mexico City, Monterrey and Cancun. The population of the four groups represents 67% of the active registered refugees in Mexico. Out of the 35,140 refugee households in the four regions, 26,688 families have at least one phone number representing an overall high rate of phone penetration. Across regions of interest, Hondurans make up the single largest group of PoC in Southern Mexico (38%), and the Northern and Central Industrial Corridor (43%), whereas Venezuelans make up over half of the PoC population in Mexico City (52%). Based on the above, a sampling strategy based on four separate strata was proposed in order to adequately represent the regions and sub-groups of interest: 1. Southern Mexico – Honduran and El Salvadoran PoC population 2. Mexico City – Honduran, El Salvadoran and Cuban PoC population 3. Northern and Central Industrial Corridor – Hondurans and El Salvadoran PoC population 4. Venezuelan Population – Mexico City, Monterey (Nuevo Leon) and Cancun (Quintana Roo) A comparable sub-sample of the national population in the same locations PoC were sampled was also generated using random digit dialing (RDD). This was made possible through the inclusion of location-based area codes in the list of phone numbers, however selected participants were also asked about their current location as a first filter to proceed with the phone survey to ensure a comparable national sub-sample.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Telephone Interview [cati]

Research instrument

Questionnaire contained the following sections: consent, knowledge, behaviour, access, employment, income, food security, concerns, resilience, networks, demographics

Among the tourists that visited the Mexican city of Cancún in the first quarter of 2018, 21.7 percent were between 20 and 29 years old. Cancún was the most visited city in Latin America in 2018.

In 2023, Mexico reported 29 cases of the Zika virus disease, up from 12 cases recorded a year earlier. During the period analyzed, 2016 was the year with the highest number of Zika infections in the North American country, with more than 8,000 cases. Within the Latin American and Caribbean region, Brazil was the country that accounted for most Zika cases that year. A vector borne disease Zika is an infectious disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which is also a vector of dengue fever. In Latin America, Zika reached nearly 37,000 infections in 2023, most of which were reported in Brazil. This disease can also be sexually transmitted and can be acquired through blood transfusions. Zika is associated with microcephaly in newborns and in rare cases with the Guillain Barré syndrome. In 2021, 287 cases of microcephaly in children were reported in Brazil, a slight decrease when compared to the number of cases reported in recent years. This health condition disrupts brain growth and can cause intellectual impairment and motor problems. Preventive measures Prevention strategies are essential to reduce the economic and social burden of mosquito-borne diseases such as the Zika virus infection. Preventive measures aim to control and reduce the mosquito population while raising awareness to avoid bites with repellents and the importance of safe sex practices to minimize the risks of infection. Although a vaccine has not yet been approved, it has been estimated that market for the Zika virus vaccine in Latin America could be worth approximately 2.67 billion U.S. dollars by 2024.