PRESS RELEASE…
for immediate release
Monday 18 May 2020
Gary Younge, Diane Abbott & Prof Azeem Majeed address online meeting examining the impact of easing lockdown on BAME communities
Tomorrow, Tuesday 19 May, 7pm, journalist Gary Younge, Diane Abbott MP, Imperial College’s Professor Azeem Majeed, will be speaking out on the impact of the government’s easing of the lockdown for BAME communities and the need for a public inquiry similar to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, on the disproportionate impact of Coronavirus on BAME communities (further details including on how to join the meeting below).
Reports continue to emerge regarding concerns of BAME doctors and lack of PPE. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) found 48% of all doctors who responded to its survey were either concerned or very concerned for their health, a figure that rose to 76% among BAME doctors. Nearly two-thirds were worried about passing the virus on to others at home.
Last week the daughters of BAME key workers that died spoke out against Boris Johnson’s easing of the lockdown.
London bus driver Greesman Ranjith Chandrapala died of Covid-19 on 3 May. His daughter Leshie Chandrapala expressed concerns about the easing of the lockdown forcing more people to use public transport and putting more bus drivers with inadequate PPE at risk.
Similarly Oyinkansola Honey Iloba, the daughter of nurse Eyitolami Olaolorun, who also died of Covid-19 on April 16, urged people to stick to the government’s previous message of “stay at home.”
The online meeting will also discuss the government’s Immigration Bill, with the second reading back on the Parliamentary agenda. Anti-racist campaigners will highlight the hypocrisy of desperately needing migrant workers in the NHS, care homes and other sectors during the present crisis and legislation preventing them from working when the crisis is over.
Diane Abbott MP, Stand Up To Racism and others launched a statement opposing the lockdown easing and calling for an independent public inquiry into disproportionate BAME deaths (see the statement HERE).
The UK has one of the highest per capita death rates in the world. Around 28 per cent of covid deaths were people from BAME communities. The Office of National Statistics found that Black Caribbean communities were four times as likely to die and overall BAME communities were around twice as likely to die.
Diane Abbott MP said
“There is no denying that the coronavirus is hitting black, Asian and other ethnic minority communities hardest. The urgent question is why so that we can do something about it in time. There can be little confidence that this government will mount an inquiry which explores all the relevant factors, or that it will bring the necessary sense of urgency. But we must insist on both.”
Professor Azeem Majeed, Imperial College said
“We need to have an effective, country-wide testing, contact tracing and isolation programme place in advance of the lockdown being loosened. This is essential so that we can test people with symptoms of possible COVID-19 infection; and also for testing of health and care staff and other key workers. We can then quickly identify local outbreaks of COVID-19 and suppress these outbreaks through contact tracing and isolation.
“We also need clear guidance for employers on infection control, safe physical distancing and risk assessment of staff. Staff with symptoms of a possible COVID-19 infection must not come into work and no pressure should be placed on staff to work when they are unwell. Finally, we need to learn from effective interventions in other countries. For example, wearing face masks or face coverings should be compulsory on public transport.”
Weyman Bennett, co convenor Stand Up To Racism, said
“Many are furious at the Tory plans that will starve the NHS, care homes and other vital services of the migrant workers they so desperately need to operate successfully.
“The government’s failure to end NHS surcharges is a further insult. Migrants are still being forced to pay hundreds of pounds to access the very services they are fighting and dying to provide.
“BAME frontline workers have paid the price for the heroic role they have been playing battling Covid-19.
“Clearly, the issue of racism – whether the institutional racism that has contributed to such a disproportionate number of BAME people among the Covid deaths, or whether the operation of a deliberate ‘hostile environment’ – remains a central political issue and a factor which in many ways is in play during the current coronavirus. Racism is a dangerous virus, and we have to call it out, and organise to oppose all forms of racism now.”
Sabby Dhalu, co convenor Stand Up To Racism, said
“Leshie Chandrapala and Oyinkansola Honey Iloba warnings must be heeded. Instead of easing the lockdown the government should have continued to promote the ‘stay at home’ message and more people returning to work has meant more pressure on public transport, which has placed bus drivers with inadequate PPE at greater risk.
“Studies show new cases of Coronavirus could have reduced to zero by around 7 June, under the previous lockdown, indicating it was, despite its weaknesses, having a significant impact.
“It beggars belief that the government chose to put profit before people’s health, for the sake of a few weeks. This will almost certainly lead to a second wave of infections, put pressure on the NHS and further disproportionately impact on BAME communities. There must be a public inquiry into this.”
Bell Ribeiro Addy MP said
“We need to be clear about who will bear the brunt of the premature end to lockdown. Overwhelmingly, those being forced to put their health at risk and go back to work are in low-paid occupations, which are disproportionately done by BAME people.
“The decision therefore risks compounding already shocking inequalities in terms of Covid-19 health outcomes. The failure to end lockdown without a comprehensive package of measures in place to curtail the spread of the disease will only exacerbate this situation.”
What will be the impact of easing the lockdown on BAME communities?
Tuesday 19 May, 7pm
Speakers include:
Gary Younge, author and journalist
Diane Abbott MP
Prof Azeem Majeed
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Wilf Sullivan, TUC Race Equality Officer
The meeting takes place live via Facebook and YouTube streams at 7PM.
You can join the meeting on facebook at facebook.com/standutr/live
or YouTube at youtube.com/standuptoracismchannel/live
See the statement signed by Diane Abbott and a wide range of MPs, union leaders and BAME key workers: bit.ly/Sutrstatement
For further quotes and information please contact:
info@standuptoracism.org.uk