Vaccine hesitancy among Britain's ethnic communities
Saeed Pourreza
PRESS TV, London
Positive vaccine sentiment in Britain has gone up to more than ninety percent since the start of the year. But conspiracy theories, the lack of trust in the government and the health-care system has led certain British communities to think twice about taking the jab.
The Baitul Futuh Mosque in London, one of the largest in Western Europe, hosting a pop-up vaccine clinic to boost vaccination rates and overcome vaccine hesitancy amid the many myths that have been created around the pandemic.
British scientists say there’s a historical trend of lower vaccine uptake in areas with a higher proportion of ethnic minority groups in England.
A recent British survey found a high percentage of respondents from Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities said they were unlikely to be vaccinated. Among black Britons, the figure stands at more than 40 percent, the highest of all ethnic groups -- meaning that some of the most vulnerable to the virus are among the least likely to get the jab.
And that’s a concern for the British government which plans to inoculate every adult in the country with the first dose of the vaccine by the end of summer.
Online, videos distorting people’s understanding of the virus and the vaccines abound. This one that claims silver solution kills the virus was proved false by a news channel.
Among some black Britons, a sense of unease. They don’t trust the government. Some fear there might be different vaccines for black and white people. This week, a video featuring high-profile black figures urging black Britons to take the vaccine.
Vaccine hesitancy also extends to ultra orthodox Jewish communities…mostly over fears it might contain pork. Or from the perspective of this controversial rabbi popular on YouTube, it might alter people’s sexual orientation.
Conspiracy theorists exploit a lack of trust in the government and a health system that to some ethnic minorities appears to favor white people and the more affluent. The British government’s challenge now is to build trust in the vaccines proven to save lives.
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