Local BAME communities urged to take up vaccine offer

01/02/2021 Andy Smith

Health and care organisations in Telford with the help of a number of local groups are urging people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities to take up the Covid-19 vaccine when it is offered by the NHS.

Staff from across the health and care system and members of different BAME communities have recorded information in a number of languages to help people understand the importance of staying safe during the pandemic and having the vaccine when it is offered.

These include videos in Urdu, Polish, Romanian, Malayalam, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi, Czech/Slovak and Chinese.

Ash Ahmed, Lay Member for Public and Patient Involvement, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups, said: “Vaccines are the way out of this pandemic. An effective vaccine is the best way to protect people from coronavirus.

“We know how important it is for people to have the right information, in a way that is meaningful for them, so they can make informed choices about their care.
“We really hope that these videos will help vulnerable patients take up the offer of the vaccination, which is one of the best opportunities we have for our communities to return to normal life”.

Cllr Raj Mehta at Telford & Wrekin Council, who is also Chair of the Interfaith Group, said: “The past year has been difficult for us all, taking the vaccination will allow us to reunite and return to normality.”

“There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the vaccine will work differently on people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

“Myself and my parents have had the vaccine and I want to encourage others to have it too when they are invited by the NHS.”

Cllr Mehta was invited for the vaccine as due to his work as a practice manager at a GP Surgery.

See the translations here:
https://www.telford.gov.uk/…/i_want_to_access_updates_in_ot…