Labour calls for data to show impact on ethnic minorities

Labour is calling on the Scottish Government to record and publish detailed data about the impact of Covid-19 on Scotland’s ethnic minorities to help establish if they are at greater risk.

Anas Sarwar MSP has written to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman urging the Scottish Government to recognise that there is a disproportionate impact on Scotland’s entire black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) community because of work, societal and natural reasons.

Analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found black men and women in England and Wales are more than four times more likely to die a coronavirus-related death than white people after accounting for age, while people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani, Indian and mixed ethnicities also had an increased risk of death involving Covid-19 compared with those of white ethnicity.

Mr Sarwar said the Scottish Government should recognise that BAME frontline healthcare workers may be at increased risk from the complications of Covid-19 and will require “risk assessment” of their roles if Scottish data mirrors that of England.

He said: “In return for the lifesaving work they are doing on the front line, Scotland’s ethnic minority communities deserve to know whether they are at a greater risk from Covid-19 and – if so – what steps can be taken to prevent further loss of life.

“I believe tailored messaging for Scotland’s BAME population could improve health outcomes, including the promotion of Vitamin D supplements.”