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A government medical adviser says he cannot easily tell who is most at risk of dying with COVID-19: a 50-year-old slim black man who runs half-marathons, or a 32-year-old white man who is extremely overweight, has diabetes. , asthma and does not exercise.
The deputy chief medical director, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, spoke about the “complicated” situation surrounding the vulnerability of people from black and minority ethnic communities.
Follows a report from the National Statistics Office (ONS) earlier this week that said black people are up to four times more likely to die from coronavirus than white people.
And a separate study found that being male, older, having uncontrolled diabetes and severe asthma are key factors related to COVID-19 deaths, according to researchers at the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
A new analysis released Thursday showed that black women are more likely to die by a factor of 4.3 and black men by 4.2 compared to Caucasians, after adjusting for age.
Other ethnic minorities are also at higher risk.
Speaking in the government newspaper. coronavirus At a press conference, Professor Van-Tam said he takes the ONS report on the subject “very seriously”
He added: “There is a tremendous determination in the medical advisory role for the government to get to the bottom of this and get to the bottom with real clarity.
“And that’s why I don’t want to come here today, and offer you, more or less, silly quick fixes. This is a complex mix of risk for age, risk for gender, risk for comorbidities, other diseases.”
“A sign of obesity is also starting to emerge, and on top of that, and I am absolutely clear, there is a sign around black and minority ethnic groups.”
“I don’t think anybody is trying to brush that under the rug or say it’s not there, but it’s complicated.”
He continued: “I cannot stand in front of you and say that I could make a judgment about who is most at risk.”
“Someone from the slender, black ethnic minority community of 50, a regular half-marathon runner, eats well, does everything well, compared to someone from a white ethnic group who is 32 years old, extremely fat, does not exercise, have diabetes, asthma, etc. “
Professor Van-Tam added that it was a “dumb example” but hoped it would give people an understanding that “taking risk for people is quite a difficult and technically complicated thing to do and that is why I don’t jump. quick and quick responses to you. “
“We are taking this incredibly seriously, we are determined to get to the bottom in a proper and scientific way.”
Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps said the government is “very concerned” about the deaths among minority communities, adding that it is “absolutely determined” to properly understand the issue.
The government is conducting a review, by Public Health England, of the highest death rates.
