Labour councillor Abdul Hai

THE coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately affected black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Camden, a council investigation has confirmed.

An 11-page dossier of preliminary findings, released yesterday (Wednesday), said recent data showed a higher percentage of north London residents born in Africa and Asia had died from Covid-19, compared to those from in the UK or elsewhere in Europe.

The virus has shone a spotlight on already existing divides in Camden, the report said, with black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) residents more likely to have fallen into rent arrears, struggled to work from home and access state support.

Labour councillor Abdul Hai, who is co-chair of the Town Hall’s new Inequalities and Covid-19 Working Group, said: “The inequalities that unfortunately exist in Camden have always worried us, and this virus is only exacerbating those fears. People of Bangladeshi ethnicity have twice the risk of dying from Covid-19 than people of white British ethnicity. Other ethnicities have between 10 per cent and 50 per cent higher risk of death when also compared to people who are white British.”

Bangladeshi and Somali families have been worse affected by lockdown restrictions because they are more likely to be living in overcrowded conditions, the report added.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups are more likely to have coronavirus-risk diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Language barriers, meanwhile, have caused problems in accessing food aid and also mental health support.

There has also been significant increase in rent arrears and Universal Credit (UC) claims form council tenants and this has also had a “disproportionate effect”, the report said.

Organising burials during the pandemic peak was chaotic worsening the grieving process.

Town Hall leader Councillor Georgia Gould said: “Covid-19 has exposed how deeply entrenched injustice and inequality impacts our black, Asian and minority communities. “he loss and trauma of the last few months calls on us to listen, learn and take comprehensive action.”

The working group has been set up to develop “a set of actions to reduce the devastating impact Covid-19” on BAME people.

To find out more or provide information to the working group, you can email: cohesionandequalities@camden.gov.uk