UKHSA is strongly encouraging eligible folks from ethnic minority teams, significantly folks from the Pakistani and black Caribbean ethnic teams and people residing in additional disadvantaged areas, to e-book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines. This may shield them and their households towards the heightened dangers of those infections throughout winter.

Knowledge from UKHSA‘s report on inequalities in emergency hospital admission charges for influenza and COVID-19 in England, printed yesterday, exhibits that for each COVID-19 and influenza, emergency hospital admission charges had been greater for folks residing in probably the most disadvantaged areas when in comparison with folks residing within the least disadvantaged areas. For influenza, there have been additionally persistent variations in emergency hospital admission charges between ethnic teams.

In winter 2022 to 2023, for influenza, the Pakistani ethnic group had emergency hospital admissions charges which had been on common 2.7 instances greater than the white ethnic group. The black, African, Caribbean, or black British ethnic teams had emergency hospital admission charges for influenza which had been on common 1.6 instances greater than the white ethnic group.

Influenza admission charges had been 2.6 instances greater and COVID-19 admission charges 2.1 instances greater for people residing in additional disadvantaged areas in comparison with the least disadvantaged.

This report describes inequalities in emergency hospital admission charges. It doesn’t account for underlying components which will drive variations between teams, due to this fact, it does not intention to clarify why these inequalities exist. From earlier analysis, we all know that the underlying causes of well being inequalities are advanced, with a number of and overlapping components. This contains the impression of current social and financial inequalities, protection of healthcare interventions, comparable to vaccination, and pre-existing well being situations.

This evaluation lays the groundwork for additional investigation. There’s a want for nearer examination into the contribution of underlying causes for these dangers over winter. Additional work can be wanted on the supply of interventions, comparable to vaccination, to alleviate the impression of those infections.

Moreover, this evaluation supplies perception for native healthcare methods, together with Built-in Care Boards (ICBs) and Administrators of Public Well being, to contemplate the relevance of those nationwide findings on the native stage.

Collectively, these findings underscore the pressing want to enhance vaccine protection throughout ethnic teams and ranges of deprivation to scale back the dangers related to each influenza and COVID-19.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Immunisation at UKHSA mentioned:

Taking on each the flu and COVID-19 vaccines supplies the most effective safety towards the virus this winter.

We proceed to encourage eligible people and teams, particularly these from ethnic minority backgrounds, to get vaccinated towards these preventable illnesses.

For the week ending 26 November 2023, though 75.2% of these aged 65 years and over in England had acquired their flu vaccine, simply over a 3rd of these in scientific threat teams; and fewer than a 3rd of pregnant girls had been vaccinated. Over two-thirds of these aged 65 years and over have been vaccinated towards COVID-19 in the course of the autumn marketing campaign.

It is vital to get vaccinated earlier than flu begins to flow into, so we strongly urge everybody who’s eligible to return ahead for vaccination as quickly as attainable.”

Dr Shona Arora, Director of Well being Fairness and Medical Governance at UKHSA mentioned:

The disparities we now have noticed, with greater hospital admission charges amongst Pakistani and black, African, Caribbean, or black British ethnic teams and people residing in additional disadvantaged areas, are regarding.

When you’ve got been invited to take action, please do e-book your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations via the NHS web site, the NHS App, or by dialling 119.

Each vaccines actually will help to guard you and your loved ones from critical sickness.”

Dr Salman Waqar, GP and President of the British Islamic Medical Affiliation, mentioned:

Our religion encourages us to contemplate the implications of our actions on the folks round us. That’s the reason we encourage eligible Muslim kids, weak adults, and people over the age of 65 to not delay their choice to get vaccinated totally free towards COVID-19 and seasonal flu. Please take up this supply to scale back your possibilities of hospitalisation this winter.

We all know many individuals in our group have spiritual considerations in regards to the porcine content material of the youngsters’s nasal flu spray, however they need to know that the flu injection for each kids and adults is freed from this and may be requested.”

Vaccination is a key preventative intervention for flu and COVID-19. Beforehand printed UKHSA vaccine uptake knowledge exhibits disparities in influenza and COVID-19 vaccine protection. Amongst people aged 65 years and over, solely 55% of the Pakistani ethnic group and 49% of the black Caribbean ethnic group acquired the influenza vaccine in winter 2022 to 2023, in comparison with 84% of the white British group.

Each the flu and COVID-19 vaccines may be given on the similar time. To make sure the best stage of safety, you will need to obtain each vaccines as quickly as attainable to be protected via winter. This implies you might be protected when infections flow into extra broadly.

You’ll be able to e-book your COVID-19 and flu vaccination appointment on-line, by downloading the NHS app or by calling 119 in case you can’t get on-line. You may as well e-book your flu vaccine by discovering an area pharmacy or via your GP apply.

With strong UK and international research supporting the excellent security profile and benefits of each COVID-19 and flu vaccines, ethnic minority teams shouldn’t delay.