Britain’s Prince Charles stresses need to take COVID-19 vaccines
Britain’s Prince Charles has campaigned for the importance of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, in the face of distrust especially among ethnic minorities in the country.
“Vaccines will save lives, prevent serious illness, protect the health service and help things return to normal,” the British heir to the throne said in a video message published on Thursday.
He was saddened that there was wide variation in the acceptance of the vaccine, the prince said, calling the fact that some people rejected the dose a “tragedy.”
According to Britain’s Office of National Statistics (ONS), 85 per cent of adults are willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
However, the government is worried by the fact that large parts of the Black, Asian and other minority ethnic (BAME) communities make up a disproportionate share of those refusing to receive the vaccine.
During the online event of the British Asian Trust organisation, London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan also cited a study according to which citizens of South Asian descent are five times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white people.
According to experts, the scepticism stems from mistrust of state institutions, disinformation distributed via social networks, and a lack of access to vaccination centres. (dpa/NAN)
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