26 January 2021
Dr Hodon Abdi, co-chair of RCEM’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, said:
“The risk from covid is not equal, people from a minority ethnic background are at a disproportionate risk and where there is greater risk there must be greater protections.
“While we are now seven weeks into the vaccine rollout, we welcome the news that NHS England will begin to collect ethnicity data when people receive the covid-19 vaccine.
“This is urgent, and we hope that NHS England will use this data for forward planning and address any disparities there may be with access and availability to minority ethnic communities and those at a disproportionate risk.”
Dr David Chung, co-chair of RCEM’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, said:
“Our recent report on PPE, ethnic minorities and occupational risk, based on two surveys, found disparities with access to PPE and risk assessments throughout the pandemic.
“It is essential that we do not see the same disparities with the vaccine rollout.
“We have asked Trusts and boards to include race or ethnicity as an independent risk factor. We cannot fail staff or communities from these backgrounds.”
