Croydon charity tackles vaccine hesitancy in BAME communities with question and answer sessions

An Asian charity organisation is seeing a huge positive shift in vaccine hesitancy after hosting a series of myth-busting events.

The Asian Resource Centre Croydon (ARCC) held online meetings with doctors, pharmacists and community leaders to answer questions and concerns from BAME communities about the vaccine.

The events were set up to tackle misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine spread through social media and word of mouth.

Ima Miah, CEO of ARCC, said: “There were some worries. Had it gone through the trials? How many BME people were involved in the trials? Do we know what the lasting effects or the side effects are? Will it make young people infertile? All these things were causing the BME population to feel hesitant.”

But the charity has seen a change in mindset after people were given the opportunity to ask questions to medical professionals.

Ms Miah said: “We did lots of polls, and what we found is after every single session there’s been an improvement rate and people are shifting towards being more inclined to take the vaccine. 

“The message ultimately is the vaccination is your choice. Let it be an informed choice. At least know why it is you’re refusing it and if there are any hesitations, there’s usually an answer.”

Priscilla Burgess, from Park Hill, Croydon, who regularly attends ARCC events originally had some doubts about receiving the jab.

The 75-year-old, who is originally from Burma, said: “I myself wasn’t very sure to start with because you heard all these rumours and people telling you they want to chip you and all that.”

But after attending the events, her attitude changed, saying: “I was very confident in the end because of having heard all these answers that the doctors have been giving us at our meetings.

“I’ve had my vaccination done and I’m very happy with it. I feel so much lighter having had it done – it’s such a weight off my shoulders.”

The ARCC’s sessions often featured Asian medical professionals, who understand the culture of the people they’re talking to and may have more credibility within the community.

A survey commissioned by the Royal Society for Public Health in December revealed that only 57 per cent of respondents from BAME backgrounds were likely to accept the Covid vaccine, compared to 79 per cent of White respondents.

The study also found that confidence was lowest among respondents from Asian communities – with only 55 per cent likely to take the vaccine.

Since then a number of campaigns have begun to encourage people from BAME backgrounds to be vaccinated – including a video starring celebrities such as Romesh Ranganathan and Meera Syal.

The ARCC has been providing support for ethnic minorities since the beginning of the pandemic.

Initially the charity provided a food bank, cooked meals and a befriending service – as well as information packs about funeral services and wills.

When the vaccine was announced, the organisation began to hear about rumours being shared throughout the community and focussed their efforts there.

But the charity also found it difficult to contend with inconsistent information from the government.

Ms Miah said: “Because of the changing nature of the information that’s coming through sometimes I’ve felt that we’ve ended up contradicting ourselves.

“One minute Vitamin D is an issue and the next minute Vitamin D is not an issue, one minute kids are the superspreaders, the next minute, actually they can go back to school first.

“It’s not just misinformation coming from people who are saying that the vaccine is no good for you or that it’s going to change your DNA. Misinformation is coming out from the government as well, which hasn’t helped us.”

Research has shown that people from BAME communities are more likely to catch the virus, which also may have led to more willingness to get the vaccine.

Ms Miah said: “It’s not just our sessions that have had a positive impact. The sheer amount of deaths that have been happening within our community has scared the life out of people to be honest. And now they’re thinking I need to give whatever a shot.”

Pictured top: Ima Miah, CEO of ARCC, receives her Covid vaccine