BLACK AND minority ethnic people are less likely to accept a COVID-19 vaccine, polling by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has shown. 

The research, which was published earlier today, showed that only 57% of BAME respondents were likely to accept the vaccine, compared with 79% of White respondents. 

On average, it was found that 76% of the UK public would take the vaccine if advised to do so by their GP or health professional, with only 8% stating they would be very unlikely to do so. 

The polling however showed that Black and minority ethnic respondents who were not willing to be vaccinated were more receptive to offers of further health advice from their GP, with 35% saying they would likely change their minds and take the vaccine if given more information by their GP about how effective it is – almost twice as many as the 18% of White people who were initially unwilling.

It was also found that there was significantly more hesitancy among lower income groups, with just 70% of lowest earners likely to say yes to the vaccine compared with 84% of highest earners.

Christina Marriott, Chief Executive of RSPH, said: “We have known for years that different communities have different levels of satisfaction in the NHS and more recently we have seen anti-vaccination messages have been specifically targeted at different groups, including different ethnic or religious communities.

“But these are exactly the groups which have suffered most through COVID. They continue to be most at risk of getting ill and most at risk of dying. So the Government, the NHS and local public health must rapidly and proactively work with these communities.”

Jabeer Butt, Chief Executive of the Race Equality Foundation, said: “These findings are not surprising in light of past experience of the reach of vaccines to BAME communities, but they appear to be particularly worrying as it suggests the COVID vaccine may not reach communities that have been disproportionately impacted. 

“It is imperative that the NHS uses trusted channels like BAME-led voluntary organisations to reach and address concerns of BAME communities and ensure that the disproportionate impact of COVID is not exacerbated.”

A poll at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) found that just over a third of ethnic minority people in London said they were likely to take the vaccine in November.

Black people are almost twice at risk of dying from the virus, an independent report commissioned by the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, found.