UK Bishops call for urgent
action plan to prevent racial inequality amid Covid-19
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| A worker making a delivery amid the Covid-19 pamdemic in London |
The President of the Office for Migration Policy of the
English and Welsh Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Paul McAleenan, voices concern
about the disproportional effect of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities.
By Vatican News
The results of a recent survey carried out by the Office of
National Statistics (ONS) reveal a significant disproportion in the number of
deaths due to coronavirus among ethnic minorities when compared to their number
in the total population of the UK.
In light of this, the UK government launched an official
inquiry last month to investigate the disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on
people with black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Statistics
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that black
males in England and Wales are 4.2 times more likely to die from coronavirus
than white males. Black females are also 4.3 times more likely than their white
counterparts. Other ethnic groups also face a disproportionately high risk of
death.
Separate surveys have shown that approximately 68% of all
National Health Service (NHS) and social care staff that died from Covid-19 are
from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. This is despite BAME workers
making up 44% of NHS medical staff.
According to the Catholic Association for Racial Justice
(CARJ), the factors that affect the ethnic minorities include poverty,
employment and housing conditions among others.
This is further pronounced with the increased numbers of
workers from ethnic minorities in essential services like social care,
transportation, healthcare and caregiving.
Appeal
Bishop Paul McAleenan, the President of the Office for
Migration Policy of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales,
welcomed the news of the inquiry. He however noted that an inquiry alone is not
enough.
“The government needs urgently to tackle the known
structural inequalities that have left some communities paying such a high
price,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to address the long-standing
issue of racial inequality in our society that this health crisis has brought
to light.
The Catholic Association for Racial Justice is also calling
for the creation of an action plan to ensure the provision of support for the
BAME communities. The association appeals for priority to be given to combating
the causes of inequality such as education, income, housing and
employment.
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