A recent analysis of medical records in the U.K. has shown that black people are four times more likely than their white counterparts to test positive for COVID-19, the disease that can result from an infection with the new coronavirus. Other researchers have picked up on “mounting evidence” of the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on black people and people of ethnic minorities in the U.K. and elsewhere. This pervasive discrimination, is likely to lead to greater exposure to environments in which the virus spreads more easily, as well as to reduced access to medical care when needed. As a result, it may come as no surprise that a new study from the U.K., made available online in preprint form, has found that among pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19 in the country, as many as 56% were women who are black or of ethnic minorities. “It is of great concern that over half of pregnant women admitted to hospital with coronavirus were from a BAME [Black, Asian, and minority ethnic] background, and this deepens our concerns around persisting vulnerabilities of this particular group of women,” said Dr. Christine Ekechi, spokesperson on racial equality for the RCOG. “We are updating our guidance to reflect that BAME women should be told, at each contact with a health professional, that they may be at higher risk of complications of coronavirus and advised to seek help early if they are concerned about their health,” she added.
(Credits: www.medicalnewstoday.com)