Covid: Living with the increased risk to BAME groups

Two women have described the impact of living through the pandemic knowing people from ethnic minority backgrounds have been more likely to die with Covid.

The Office for National Statistics found people from most ethnic minority groups experienced higher death rates than white people during the first wave – and although the gap narrowed for many in the second, there was still a greater risk for people from a South Asian background.

The BBC brought two women together to discuss the impact on their lives.

Malaika Gangooly, from Chelmsford, said: "It broke my heart... because I just knew that I was going to have to really work to protect my family."

Bernadette Manners, from Ipswich, said not being able to hold her grandson and "do the nana thing was very, very hard".

A spokesman for the government’s Equality Hub said "significant action had already been taken" to protect the most vulnerable in society.

Video by Dawn Gerber

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