Research and analysis

Second quarterly report on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities

This report summarises the work undertaken by the Minister for Equalities and government departments on COVID-19 disparities.

Documents

Second quarterly report on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities

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Minister for Equalities' letter to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary on the second COVID-19 disparities report

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Details

This is the second quarterly report on progress to address the findings of Public Health England’s (PHE) review into disparities in the risks and outcomes of COVID-19.

It sets out the progress the government has made in understanding the drivers of these disparities for ethnic minority groups and how they have changed between the first and second waves of the virus.

The report also summarises the actions the government has taken to address the disparities.

Published 26 February 2021
Last updated 1 March 2021 + show all updates
  1. Edited 2 instances where the groups being compared were not accurate, as follows. In the 'Executive summary', 'Summary' section: "For example, in the first wave, Black African people were 4.5 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than White British people but in the early part of the second wave the risk of death was the same for Black African and White British people." This has been changed to: "For example, in the first wave, Black African men were 4.5 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than White British men of the same age but in the early part of the second wave the risk of death was the same for Black African and White British men." In the 'Data and evidence' chapter, '4.3 Results', 'Hazard ratios' section: "In the first wave, Black African, Pakistani and Bangladeshi men were 4.5, 2.7 and 3.5 times more likely to die from COVID-19 respectively than White British men of the same age. In the second wave (to date) the mortality risk remained high for Pakistani and Bangladeshi men (4.8 and 4.1) but not for Black ethnic groups which had the same rate as White British." This has been changed to: "In the first wave, Black African, Pakistani and Bangladeshi men were 4.5, 2.7 and 3.5 times more likely to die from COVID-19 respectively than White British men of the same age. In the second wave (to date) the mortality risk remained high for Pakistani and Bangladeshi men (4.8 and 4.1) but not for men from Black ethnic groups who had the same rate as White British men."

  2. First published.