Vaccine caution

THE prospect of “normality” returning to the world in the near future following the Covid-19 pandemic this year appears to be within reach after promising reports of successful vaccine trials.

US company Moderna said on Monday (16) that its new vaccine was nearly 95 per cent effective, similar to results revealed by pharmaceutical firm Pfizer last week.

In light of the news, reports have suggested that those in carehomes, healthcare workers and the elderly could be prioritised to receive the vaccine.

Official figures have consistently shown that BAME communities in the UK have been worst hit by the virus. A new review last week, consistent with previous government data, noted that people of black or Asian ethnicity can be twice as likely to get Covid-19 compared to their white counterparts.

The pandemic has been a wake-up call, exposing social and structural disparities which contribute to health inequalities in society. Although officials would not be drawn into confirming if ethnic minorities would be prioritised to receive vaccines, it is important that they are not pushed to the back of the line, as many key workers – who keep the country going – come from a BAME background.

It is vital that health officials communicate clearly the benefits of vaccines to combat the spread of coronavirus infections. And people must ask their GPs, pharmacists or local health workers for clarity on the efficacy of the vaccine, rather than looking to unverified social media posts dismissing the need for it.