Calls for greater vaccine uptake as 40% of over eighties from BAME backgrounds turning down jab
There are calls for more patients from black, asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to take up the offer of the coronavirus vaccine.
It comes as a GP practice in Huddersfield revealed up to forty per cent of over eighties from BAME backgrounds are turning it down.
Dr Burhan Ahmed, of Greenwood Primary Care Networks, said at his practice, most of its over eighties are from black, asian and minority backgrounds and yet up to forty per cent are declining the vaccine.
Eighty-four year old Mohammed Khaliq, said he has heard things, however he is happy to ''follow government advice.''
He is one of around fifteen thousand patients who've been vaccinated at Cathedral House in Huddersfield. Other patients told ITV News they were aware of scepticism from friends, but made their own decisions to go ahead with it.
Last year a report revealed the death rate was higher in BAME population groups and they are more at risk of developing complications with the virus.
What is being done to increase uptake in BAME communities?
The Vaccine Minister, Nadim Zawahi said it is important to adopt a "hyper local approach" to tackling the problem to prevent the disease going "through those communities like wildfire."
On the weekend, in Sheffield, around a hundred people were vaccinated in a mosque as part of an effort to reach communities where there has been reluctance.
In Bradford, GPs have recorded videos in different languages, including Urdu and Pashto, to tackle some of the myths about the coronavirus vaccine.