Suitable prevention measures urgently needed, say researchers, with larger households highlighted as a factor
People in the UK’s south Asian communities were more likely to test positive for Covid, become severely ill and die than any other minority ethnic group in the country’s second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study.
During the first wave from February to September 2020, the paper in the Lancet medical journal found, all minority ethnic groups had a higher risk than the white community of testing positive for Covid, ending up in hospital, being admitted to intensive care, and dying, after accounting for any underlying health conditions. But in the second wave, from September to December 2020, minority ethnic groups did better – except for the south Asian communities.