Marsha de Cordova responds to the Government’s second quarterly report on Covid disparities for Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities

“The Government have been too slow to act on the devastating and disproportionate impact that Covid has had on Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities.

“The Minister for Equalities has finally heeded Labour’s calls and admitted that this is not a “one-size-fits-all situation”.

“The Government must now ensure its vaccine programme reaches every community and addresses the long-standing mistrust and health inequalities that contribute to low take-up. It must also recognise that the key drivers of the disproportionate impact - such as profession and where you live - are led by structural racism. We need a clear strategy now to tackle these deep-rooted inequalities.”

Ends

Notes to editors

· Government updates on identifying and tackling COVID-19 disparities: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-updates-on-identifying-and-tackling-covid-19-disparities