Thread by @ProfKevinFenton

Today, my team at @PHE_London shared an analysis showing that health inequalities have persisted from wave 1 to wave 2 of London’s #COVID19 pandemic.

Here’s a thread on what we found, what we're doing about it, and what you can do to help too.

Read more: publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/03/tac…

1/10 Sadly, ethnicity continues to be a major factor in the health outcomes of Londoners in the 2nd wave. Asian communities have experienced the highest case rates and deaths to date, followed by Black communities.

2/10This is different to the 1st wave, when Black Londoners experienced the highest case rates and deaths, followed by Asian Londoners. That said, in either wave, both groups continued to have higher case and deaths rates than their White counterparts.

3/10 When you take age into account, London’s Asian communities have sadly suffered the highest death rates during the 2nd wave.

All deaths during this pandemic are a tragedy, but this disproportionate loss for our Asian communities brings huge grief for the community.

4/10 Highest case rates in London’s 2nd wave are also linked to increased deprivation. All these inequalities can have wider consequences, impacting mental health, physical health, social disruption and economic anxiety.

More on wider impacts here: gov.uk/government/pub…

5/10 I know that because BAME communities have been and continue to be disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, this has caused a sense of despair, sadness and anger. For others this may also cause them to disengage from the epidemic and become hesitant to have the vaccine.

6/10 However the power to work together to tackle inequalities rests within our hands. My messages to you:

▶️Take up the vaccine and encourage others to. Recent analysis found Black over 80s were half as likely as their white peers to have been vaccinated bbc.co.uk/news/health-55…

7/10

▶️ If you can’t work from home, use asymptomatic community testing offered by your council. This will help identify the virus early and stop transmission. #KeepLondonSafe

If you are required to self-isolate, you may be entitled to financial support: gov.uk/government/pub…

8/10

▶️Get tested and self-isolate immediately if you have any symptoms - a high temperature, a loss or change in your sense of smell or taste, or a new persistent cough. And seek medical help sooner rather than later if you feel unwell.

Book a test: gov.uk/get-coronaviru…

9/10 My colleagues at @PHE_London and across our public health system are leading and supporting a number of initiatives aimed at tackling inequalities experienced by communities during the pandemic. You can read more details on this work in my blog: publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/03/tac…

10/10 All of these actions will help ensure that this unequal toll on our communities is challenged, allowing all of us to take back some control, protecting ourselves and our loved ones, and starting the journey to life beyond this disease. #KeepLondonSafe