UKHSA encourages eligible folks from ethnic minority teams to e book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines

UKHSA is strongly encouraging eligible folks from ethnic minority teams, notably folks from the Pakistani and black Caribbean ethnic teams and people residing in additional disadvantaged areas, to e book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines. This may shield them and their households in opposition to the heightened dangers of those infections throughout winter.

Information from UKHSA‘s report on inequalities in emergency hospital admission charges for influenza and COVID-19 in England, revealed yesterday, exhibits that for each COVID-19 and influenza, emergency hospital admission charges have been increased for folks residing in probably the most disadvantaged areas when in comparison with folks residing within the least disadvantaged areas. For influenza, there have been additionally persistent variations in emergency hospital admission charges between ethnic teams.

In winter 2022 to 2023, for influenza, the Pakistani ethnic group had emergency hospital admissions charges which have been on common 2.7 instances increased than the white ethnic group. The black, African, Caribbean, or black British ethnic teams had emergency hospital admission charges for influenza which have been on common 1.6 instances increased than the white ethnic group.

Influenza admission charges have been 2.6 instances increased and COVID-19 admission charges 2.1 instances increased for people residing in additional disadvantaged areas in comparison with the least disadvantaged.

This report describes inequalities in emergency hospital admission charges. It doesn’t account for underlying elements that will drive variations between teams, due to this fact, it does not goal to elucidate why these inequalities exist. From earlier analysis, we all know that the underlying causes of well being inequalities are complicated, with a number of and overlapping elements. This consists of the influence of current social and financial inequalities, protection of healthcare interventions, equivalent to vaccination, and pre-existing well being situations.

This evaluation lays the groundwork for additional investigation. There’s a want for nearer examination into the contribution of underlying causes for these dangers over winter. Additional work can be wanted on the supply of interventions, equivalent to vaccination, to alleviate the influence of those infections.

Moreover, this evaluation offers perception for native healthcare methods, together with Built-in Care Boards (ICBs) and Administrators of Public Well being, to think about the relevance of those nationwide findings on the native degree.

Collectively, these findings underscore the pressing want to enhance vaccine protection throughout ethnic teams and ranges of deprivation to scale back the dangers related to each influenza and COVID-19.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Immunisation at UKHSA stated:

Taking on each the flu and COVID-19 vaccines offers the very best safety in opposition to the virus this winter.

We proceed to encourage eligible people and teams, particularly these from ethnic minority backgrounds, to get vaccinated in opposition to these preventable ailments.

For the week ending 26 November 2023, though 75.2% of these aged 65 years and over in England had acquired their flu vaccine, simply over a 3rd of these in scientific danger teams; and fewer than a 3rd of pregnant ladies had been vaccinated. Over two-thirds of these aged 65 years and over have been vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 in the course of the autumn marketing campaign.

It is vital to get vaccinated earlier than flu begins to flow into, so we strongly urge everybody who’s eligible to return ahead for vaccination as quickly as attainable.”

Dr Shona Arora, Director of Well being Fairness and Scientific Governance at UKHSA stated:

The disparities now we have noticed, with increased hospital admission charges amongst Pakistani and black, African, Caribbean, or black British ethnic teams and people residing in additional disadvantaged areas, are regarding.

When you have been invited to take action, please do e book your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations by way of the NHS web site, the NHS App, or by dialling 119.

Each vaccines actually may also help to guard you and your loved ones from critical sickness.”

Dr Salman Waqar, GP and President of the British Islamic Medical Affiliation, stated:

Our religion encourages us to think about the implications of our actions on the folks round us. That’s the reason we encourage eligible Muslim youngsters, weak adults, and people over the age of 65 to not delay their determination to get vaccinated at no cost in opposition to COVID-19 and seasonal flu. Please take up this provide to scale back your possibilities of hospitalisation this winter.

We all know many individuals in our neighborhood have non secular issues concerning the porcine content material of the youngsters’s nasal flu spray, however they need to know that the flu injection for each youngsters and adults is freed from this and might be requested.”

Vaccination is a key preventative intervention for flu and COVID-19. Beforehand revealed UKHSA vaccine uptake information exhibits disparities in influenza and COVID-19 vaccine protection. Amongst people aged 65 years and over, solely 55% of the Pakistani ethnic group and 49% of the black Caribbean ethnic group acquired the influenza vaccine in winter 2022 to 2023, in comparison with 84% of the white British group.

Each the flu and COVID-19 vaccines might be given on the identical time. To make sure the best degree of safety, you will need to obtain each vaccines as quickly as attainable to be protected by way of winter. This implies you might be protected when infections flow into extra extensively.

You possibly can e book your COVID-19 and flu vaccination appointment on-line, by downloading the NHS app or by calling 119 in case you can not get on-line. You too can e book your flu vaccine by discovering a neighborhood pharmacy or by way of your GP apply.

With sturdy UK and world research supporting the superb security profile and benefits of each COVID-19 and flu vaccines, ethnic minority teams mustn’t delay.