Lenny Henry urges black British to have Covid-19 vaccine

Comic legend Sir Lenny Henry has joined with ‘12 Years a Slave’ actor Chiwetel Ejiofer, actress Thandie Newton and other black celebrities to urge black Britons to have the coronavirus vaccine.

Sir Lenny Henry has written an open letter urging black Britons to go and have the COVID-19 vaccine and a short film based on his letter will be aired on Channel 5 and Sky between 8pm and 9.30pm tonight (30 March).

’When your turn comes take the vaccine’

Sir Lenny Henry’s letter includes the words: ‘Dear mums, dads, grandparents, uncles, aunties, brothers, sisters, nephew, nieces, daughters, sons and cousins. We love you!

‘And we want to see you again. Covid-19 has kept us apart for far too long. We want to hug you, we want to celebrate with you, we want to go out for dinner with you, we want to worship with you, we want to go and watch football and cricket with you, we want to beat you at video games - in the same room so we can see the look on your face when we do.

‘But in order to do all that - we all need to take the Covid-19 jab. It’s all of us in this together.

‘You have legitimate worries and concerns, we hear that. We know change needs to happen and that it’s hard to trust some institutions and authorities.

‘But we’re asking you to trust the facts about the vaccine from our own professors, doctors, scientists involved in the vaccine’s development, GPs, not just in the UK but across the world including the Caribbean and Africa.

‘Don’t let your concerns be the thing that widens racial inequality in our society. Don’t let Black people continue to be disproportionately impacted by this terrible disease. Many in our community say they do not want to take the vaccine, much more than other groups. But the fact is we have been disproportionately affected by the virus, many of our loved ones have died. Don’t let coronavirus cost even more Black lives.

‘We love you. We don’t want you to get sick. We don’t want you to die. We know you love us too so please hear us and when your turn comes, take the jab.’

Less than half of black British adults said they would take jab

Less than half (49 per cent) of black or black British adults reported that they were likely to have the vaccine, a poll by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) taken from 13 January to 7 February reveals. NHS data shows that only 466,000 black of black British adults have had a first dose of the vaccine so far and 24,000 have taken their second COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Mortality rates for deaths involving Covid-19 was highest amongst males of black ethnic background at 255.7 deaths per 100,000 population and 119.8 for black women. The figures are lowest for white men at 87.0 deaths per 100,000.

Data also shows that people from ethnic minorities are more likely to test positive from Covid-19 compared with white ethnic groups but the ONS report puts this down in part to the jobs and housing among ethnic minority communities.

Sir Lenny Henry said: “I felt it was important to do my bit and so I wrote this letter to Black Britain asking people not to get left behind, to not continue to be disproportionately impacted and to trust the facts from our doctors, professors and scientists, not just in the UK but across the world, including the Caribbean and Africa.

“I hear and understand the concerns which people of all backgrounds are wrestling with, but which are particularly concerning in Black communities. I want people to be safe, I don’t want people to die or end up in hospital because of Covid-19. So I’m saying, when your turn comes, take the jab.”

Amma Asante, who directed the short film inspired by Sir Lenny Henry’s letter, said: “Creating something for the community I come from was important to me, particularly on a health issue that is as life and death as coronavirus. “I wanted to make a film that acknowledges the concerns of Black people while sharpening the lens on why the vaccine is so important, and why we deserve to have our lives and the lives of our loved ones protected. “I hope the film can contribute to making a difference.”

Performer George the Poet and author Malorie Blackman are among the signatories on Sir Lenny Henry’s open letter.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the NHS, local authorities, charities and faith leaders to provide advice and public health information in over thirteen languages to people from all communities and backgrounds to ensure they come forward for the vaccine.

Professor Kevin Fenton, London’s regional director for Public Health England, said: “We know our Black communities have been among the hardest hit during this pandemic, but we also know there are some among us who are less likely to come forward for the life-saving vaccine.”

The short film featuring celebrities reading the letter can be viewed by clicking here vimeo.com/showcase/8294691