[St Charles Owl]

PHE this week issued a report which confirmed this week that people from ethnic minorities are at higher risk of dying from coronavirus. The report showed that age remains the biggest risk factor, while being male is another.

Labour's shadow equalities minister Marsha De Cordova called for an action plan, adding: "The government must not wait any longer to address underlying racial and socioeconomic injustices, so that no more lives are lost." Absolute garbage. She seems to be saying that BAME people cannot understand the basic premise that the best way to fight the virus is to be as healthy and/or safe as possible. I am a white elderly man and have potentially underlying health conditions and I manage to take extra precautions to protect myself. No guarantee in this bit I'm giving myself a better chance. At yesterday's press conference, a BBC reporter took the same attitude about BAME people, ie wait for the Government to do something

Surely BAME people should be encouraged to look after themselves. Whether Government or NHS , do it yourself as much as possible.

I have heard the same thing over here with regards to ethnic minorities being higher risk. What I have yet to see are the reasons why this is the case? I am guessing a certain amount of it is general health, poverty, lack of healthcare options (obviously a big problem here rather than the UK) and the fact that they are more likely in lower grade jobs such as checkout personnel at supermarkets or cleaners at hospitals, so have had to work throughout this pandemic. But is there anything genetically that makes them more at risk or is it just lifestyle either by choice or circumstance?