Black over-80s 'half as likely' to have been vaccinated

Black people over the age of 80 were half as likely as their white peers to have been vaccinated against Covid by 13 January, a large study suggests. This is despite the fact black people are four times more likely to die with COVID-19 than their white counterparts.

People living in deprived areas or who have severe mental-health conditions or learning disabilities were also less likely to have received a vaccination. The study was based on more than 20 million patient records in England.

The OpenSafely study, by the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, found of the million of those over 80 but not living in a care home:

• 43% of the white people had been given their first dose of the vaccine
• 30% of the Bangladeshi and Pakistani people had
• 21% of the black people had.

Bangladeshi and Pakistani people are twice as likely to die with COVID-19 as white peple.

Birmingham-based business owner Tru Powell told BBC Radio 5 Live of a "lack of trust between the government and people of colour".

"People of colour have been subject to institutionalised racism within the healthcare system," she said.

"We are five times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and four times more likely to die in childbirth."

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Source: BBC News, 28 January 2021