MAKING STEPS to eradicate systemic racism would have prevented the surge of Covid-19 related deaths among people from ethnic minority backgrounds, experts have said.

Researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Leicester built on findings already made about rampant racial disparities during the pandemic. 

The paper, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) and published in EClinicalMedicine, examined why people from Black and minority ethnic groups were more likely to be infected and die amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The research concluded that Black and minority ethnic groups were disadvantaged from the start due to longstanding health inequalities caused by systemic racism in the UK. It said that the strain of the pandemic only exacerbated these widespread inequalities which were “interconnected”.

According to the research people from these communities were more likely to be exposed to Covid because a high proportion were employed in key worker roles in the NHS or public transport. 

Inequality in accessing healthcare also meant that Black and minority ethnic Britons were prone to dying from the disease once infected because of barriers in receiving adequate care, delays in diagnosis, in some cases language barriers and living in overcrowded accommodation which affected the ability to isolate once infected.

The paper aims to provide a blueprint for policymakers and researchers to address these inequalities so that they can be better prepared for future pandemics.

It states that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to intervention does not work and that cultural, social and language barriers must be overcome along with other socio-economic issues.

Dr Daniel Pan, from the University of Leicester and co-lead author, said: “There is clear evidence of inequities in Covid-19 health outcomes for ethnic minority groups,” said Dr Patsy Irizar from The University of Manchester, the paper’s lead author.

“This research is of timely importance given the UK’s ongoing Covid-19 public inquiry, and there are clear opportunities to address racism and racial discrimination, to reduce inequity.”

“This framework is the first of its kind to specifically address inequities during a pandemic. The recommendations aim to ensure ethnic inequalities in treatment do not occur in future.

“The Covid-19 pandemic won’t be the last and steps need to be taken now to reduce the inevitable consequences of the next pandemic on ethnic minority groups. We know that innovative approaches are required but if we plan for these, they can be overcome.”