OVN is working closely with our communities, partners and key stakeholders to understand and address the impact of Covid-19 on the black communities we work with particularly those at risk or living with diagnosed HIV
According to a UCL research, the risk of death from Covid-19 for Black and African groups is 3.24 higher than the general population, whilst the risk for Black Caribbean people was 2.21 times higher according UCL researchers 1 2 The ONS analysis released on 7th April which shows that black men are 4.2 times more likely to die from coronavirus than their white counterparts 2
The New PHE BAME COVID-19 review tells us that here have been disproportionately higher deaths of people born outside UK, especially Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean (as well as SE Asia and M.East). BAME people with diabetes and hypertension and are living in deprived areas or with lower socio-economic status occupations, rough sleepers
While clinical data is sparse, some data shows (1, 2, 3, 4) that having untreated HIV with low CD4 count puts these individuals at heightened risk of severe COVID-19, especially BAME people. The black and migrant communities OVN works with fall in categories of extremely vulnerable and for migrants who are in precarious situations, living with undiagnosed HIV and possibly low CD4 counts (<50) if they contract COVID-9; the outcome will be poor potentially resulting in death.
A report from The Ubele Initiative highlights the impacts the COIVD-19 crisis has already started to have on BAME-led community organisations. We expect this to worsen as the situation is ongoing and unlikely to end fully any time soon. Read the Report [PDF]