Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ethnic minority Covid risk 'not explained by racism'

Ethnic minority Covid risk 'not explained by racism'

A scientist advising the government on ethnicity and Covid says "structural racism is not a reasonable explanation" for black and south Asian people's greater risk of illness and death.

An earlier report by Public Health England said racism may contribute to the unequal death toll.

Dr Raghib Ali suggested it was time to stop using ethnicity when deciding who needed help.

He said focusing on factors like jobs and housing would help more people.

The newly appointed expert adviser said this approach would help prevent everyone at risk - including poorer white groups, including those living in crowded housing - from missing out on help.

Dr Ali made his comments during a briefing on the first quarterly report on Covid disparities, led by the government's Race Disparity Unit and the Minister for Equalities, Kemi Badenoch.

The report is a stocktake of the actions taken and evidence gathered since previous analyses by Public Health England, which set out the greater risks faced by black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups.

The doctors' union, the British Medical Association, responded to the quarterly eport by calling for "tangible action right now to protect BAME [black and minority ethnic] people".

"As we sit amid a second wave of infections, we know that about a third of those admitted to intensive care are not white - showing no change since the first peak," said Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair.

"Meanwhile, black and Asian people have been found twice as likely to be infected compared to white people."


Dr Raghib Ali


What did the report say?

To find out more about why these risks exist, the authors reviewed recent studies, including figures from the Office for National Statistics, and Public Health England.

While no single study was able to examine all the possible reasons, the report agrees with previous analyses that a range of factors are involved.

These include:

* Where people live - with a higher risk in urban areas with greater population density

* Occupational exposure - for example data shows Black people are more likely to work in healthcare than other groups

* Household composition, with larger households at greater risk

* Pre-existing health conditions - such as obesity, which can make it harder to recover from the virus

Dr Ali said that while studies often differed in their conclusions, the older people are, and where they lived, were two of the biggest factors behind the increased risks.

He added that much of the increased risk faced by ethnic minorities could be explained by factors such as the ones mentioned above.

But he agreed with the report authors that a "small part" of the excess risk remained unexplained for some groups.


Spacious housing conditions could help reduce the spread of the virus


What changes are being made?

* It will become mandatory for ethnicity to be recorded on death certificates as "this is the only way of establishing a complete picture of the impact of the virus on ethnic minorities". This will involve patients being asked about ethnicity during consultations with their doctors.

* A community champions scheme will help increase tailored communication and advice for communities most at-risk and fund grassroots groups.

Recommendations in the report include:

* Risk assessments at work for everyone, not just people from ethnic minority groups, to avoid stigma and help protect all people in need of support

* A risk calculator tool is being developed by the University of Oxford to help doctors and individuals understand more about their risks from Covid.

Minister for Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, told the BBC: "Quite often people expect there will be announcement that will be specifically just for ethnic minorities but actually the risk profile for vulnerability goes across many different groups.

She added: "We have made sure all of the work we have done, all of the action taken to safeguard people's lives have been done across the population as a whole, with a particular focus on the vulnerable."



What was said on ethnicity?

In the briefing, Dr Ali said: "The problem with focusing on ethnicity as a risk factor is that it misses the very large number of non-ethnic minority groups, so whites basically, who also live in deprived areas and overcrowded housing and with high risk occupations."

He added the whole population should have a "personalised risk assessment" rather than just targeting ethnic groups.

"It doesn't make sense to put all ethnic minorities in the same basket as it doesn't make sense to put all whites in the same basket," he said.

On structural racism, he said he was not convinced by the narrative that racism played a part in coronavirus deaths.

He pointed out that generally people from BAME backgrounds have better health outcomes than other groups.


What did the experts say?

Prof Naveed Sattar, at the University of Glasgow, said: "This report reminds us that there has been 'uneven spread' of the virus dependent on where and in what kind of environments people live and the jobs they have and that these factors explain a substantial part of the ethnic differences in risk of severe Covid, but not all."

He suggested some health factors also appeared to be relevant and said more work was needed to better understand these factors.

Meanwhile, GP, Dr Hajira Dambha-Miller, said she welcomed the comprehensive report.

But she added: "Further detail is still needed in explaining why BAME groups are more susceptible to worse outcomes. I don't think the report goes far enough in exploring the wider social factors that may contribute to viral transmission and death."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×