COVID-19: Ethnic minorities threat ‘larger threat of dying from coronavirus’ as a consequence of ‘colorblind’ vaccine rollout, medical doctors warn | UK Information
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Ethnic minority communities face a better threat of changing into unwell and dying from the coronavirus because of the UK’s ‘coloration blind’ vaccine distribution technique, medical doctors have warned.
Medical professionals, writing within the Journal of the Royal Society of Medication, say the present prioritization “ignores the uneven affect of the pandemic on ethnic minority teams” and exacerbates the racial inequalities that the pandemic has led to. exhibited.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), which advises the federal government on which priorities to prioritize, has extensively beneficial an age-based method, saying age is the most important threat issue COVID-19[female[feminine.
He recently considered, but rejected, a move to prioritize people in high-risk jobs, saying this could slow deployment.
Different ethnic groups are not specifically mentioned in this list but JCVI said there should be “flexibility” at the local level, with attention to “alleviating health inequalities, as could occur in this country. which concerns access to health care and ethnicity ”.
People from ethnic minority communities are more likely to live in overcrowded multigenerational households, where transmission may be higher.
They also represent a higher proportion of those working in high-risk, low-paying occupations.
These workers are less likely to be able to work from home and are exposed to more people, which means they have a higher risk of infection.
The authors wrote: “The invisibility of these vulnerable groups from the priority list and the deepening inequalities and inequalities in health care put ethnic minorities at a significantly higher risk of disease and death related to the disease. COVID-19.
“The UK’s colorblind vaccination model fails to take into account the uneven impact of the pandemic on ethnic minority groups, making it a facilitator of structures that are known to systematically disadvantage BAME communities (Black, Asia and ethnic minority). “
Lead author Professor Azeem Majeed, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, said: “Prioritizing essential workers for immunization will preserve the health system, speed up the reopening of society, will help revive the economy and enable essential community functioning.
The authors state that ineffective vaccine allocation strategies “probably play a role in the high levels of vaccine reluctance observed among ethnic minorities.”
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released this week show that 44% of black or black Britons said they were hesitant to get the vaccine.
All of the ethnic minority respondents were more hesitant than white adults, with the odds of hesitation being six times higher among black or black British adults than among white adults after adjusting for other factors.
Encourage ethnic minorities to get vaccinated
The authors note that likely key factors include a lack of trust in some communities due to racism, low confidence in the safety or effectiveness of the vaccine, and limited endorsements from trusted community leaders.
Strategies that could alleviate barriers to getting the vaccine could include ensuring that people do not suffer financial losses by taking time off work and traveling to receive a vaccine, and administering the vaccine in community settings easily. accessible.
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Dr Habib Naqvi, director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said: ‘We have unfortunately witnessed the consequence of not acting on the first evidence presented in COVID-19 ethnicity and health inequalities.
“The impact of the virus on BME communities has been disproportionate and grim.
“Now is the time to draw urgent lessons from recent lessons and act on improved granular data, including a clear focus on localized approaches with resources and support that engage and address lower levels of trust. in the immunization program in various communities. “
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Affairs said: “The independent JCVI’s advice on prioritizing COVID-19 vaccines was developed with the aim of preventing as many deaths as possible, with old age being the greater risk of death. We follow the JCVI recommendations to save lives.
“We have invested millions in research on ethnic disparities and COVID-19 and created a new NHS Race and Health Observatory to tackle the specific health issues facing people from minority backgrounds ethnic.
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