Ethnic minorities face higher Covid risks due to low vaccination rates

A RECENT study by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) reveals that people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK are significantly less likely to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 compared to individuals with a white British background.

The research, using data from England, Scotland, and Wales, shows that while about 40 per cent of white individuals are under-vaccinated, around 80 per cent of individuals from Black African, Black Caribbean, and Asian Pakistani backgrounds lack full protection, The Guardian reported.

HDR UK's Professor Angela Wood, also of Cambridge University, said, “The results are very clear,” noting that the disparities indicate a higher risk of severe Covid outcomes, including hospitalisations and deaths, among under-vaccinated groups.

Other ethnic groups, including Asian Chinese and Asian Indian, show under-vaccination rates near 60 per cent.

The study defines under-vaccinated individuals as those who missed any recommended Covid vaccinations for their age group.

Health services, already preparing for a potential winter Covid surge, have begun offering booster jabs to high-risk groups, such as care home residents and individuals over 65, the newspaper reported.

This recent study is an extension of earlier research conducted by HDR UK and Edinburgh University, which identified disparities in Covid vaccine uptake across the UK.

In England, 46 per cent were under-vaccinated by the end of 2022, with Northern Ireland at 50 per cent, Scotland at 33 per cent, and Wales at 34 per cent.

Professor Wood also pointed out that factors like age and socioeconomic status may influence these disparities, with younger people and those from deprived backgrounds more likely to be under-vaccinated.

The findings raise concerns for public health officials, who are now considering similar studies on other vaccines, such as for measles, to address vaccination gaps across ethnic groups in the UK.