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The Mayor of London has called on the equality watchdog to urgently investigate whether the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on people of black, Asian and minority ethnicity could have been avoided or mitigated.
Sadiq Khan’s intervention comes after figures show that black people in the UK are more than four times more likely to die of coronavirus than white people.
After accounting for age, self-reported health and disability measures, and other sociodemographic characteristics, black people were still nearly twice as likely as white people to die from a Covid-19-related death. According to figures released Thursday, men and women in Bangladesh and Pakistan were more than 1.5 times more likely to die than their white counterparts, according to other factors.
In a letter to David Isaac, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), seen by The Guardian, Khan says the commission has a “moral responsibility” to conduct an extensive investigation into the worst outcomes for BAME people that is not limited to the highest rates of critical illness and death.
He writes: “Not only does he have it [Covid-19] revealed the main health inequalities that exist in our society, has also exposed uneven results that have a negative impact on the lives of Londoners BAME, including employment and immigration status …
“We know that some Londoners, and particularly BAME Londoners, are more likely to live in poverty, overcrowded conditions and have less access to green space. Lack of government action for migrants only compounds the problem, without clear support for Londoners without recourse to public funds (NRPF) and lack of clarity about NHS charges for migrant communities.
Knowing this, and the fact that we were warned about how the coronavirus spreads from the experience of other countries, this research must consider whether enough was done to protect Londoners from BAME who are being hardest hit by the pandemic. “
Khan said he welcomed the investigation by NHS England and Public Health England, which will look at the disproportionality of deaths among BAME health and welfare workers, but urged the EHRC to investigate whether people from minority groups are overrepresented in other front-line and lower-paid roles. jobs, which can increase your exposure to Covid-19.
Recent research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that a third of all black Africans of working age are employed in key working positions, 50% more than the white British population.
The mayor also warned that BAME-run companies and charities may be disproportionately affected and should not be allowed to “fall through the cracks,” urging the investigation to investigate whether government support is reaching them enough.
Khan writes: “As mayor of a city where 44% of the population comes from BAME communities, I am looking for answers for Londoners on whether these results could have been avoided or mitigated.
“The EHRC must use its mandate to conduct a full investigation into these issues and ensure that the lessons are learned. There is a moral responsibility to do it. Change cannot wait any longer. “
Separately, a group of public figures wrote to Boris Johnson on Sunday, calling for an independent public investigation into Covid-19’s disproportionate impact on UK BAME communities.
The signers, including dancer Akram Khan, author Malorie Blackman, and Kwame Kwei-Armah, Young Vic’s artistic director, say the investigation should follow the precedent of the likes of the Scarman report on the Brixton riots and the MacPherson report on The murder of Stephen Lawrence.
An EHRC spokesperson said: “We are pleased to advise on the NHS England and Public Health England study on this critical issue. We have received the letter from the Mayor of London and will respond in due course. ”
