Public health messages on safety

Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:

“GPs and our teams are working hard to vaccinate our patients from Covid-19, beginning with our most vulnerable patients, in accordance with the JCVI’s prioritisation list. Whilst those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities are not specifically on the JCVI list, ethnicity is one of the criteria for prioritisation within each group according to guidance from NHS England. As such, GPs are able to use their clinical judgement within the priority list to ensure the programme meets the needs of local communities.

"We are concerned that recent reports show that people within Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities are not only more likely to be adversely affected by the virus but also less likely to accept the COVID vaccine, when offered it.

"As such, where appropriate, we’re calling for public health communications to be tailored to patients in Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, to reassure them about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine and ultimately encourage them to come forward for their vaccination when they are invited for it."

Further information

(For media only)

RCGP Press office – 020 3188 7633/7494/7574

Out of hours: 0203 188 7659 

press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editor

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.