Labour urges minority communities to get vaccinated

Labour has said Jews should be specifically “encouraged” to take the Covid-19 vaccine in part by publishing how many Jews have had the jab.

The Party confirmed that Jewish people were included in its “plan for Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to encourage vaccine uptake”.

This calls for the publication of daily data “showing the progress of the vaccine roll out across people from different ethnic backgrounds”.

It also said Jews would benefit from a “vaccine communications strategy which reaches all communities and tackles disinformation”.

Orthodox Jewish families in areas such as Stamford Hill have reported receiving automated phone messages in Yiddish warning about the safety of the vaccine, leading dozens of Jewish doctors to write an open letter dismantling the myths.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner MP said: “This crisis has had a disproportionate impact on Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities, and it is so important that the vaccine roll out doesn’t leave any community behind.”

Her colleague Marsha de Cordova MP added that the government “must publish regular data showing the progress of the vaccine roll out among ethnic minority communities and take every step possible to encourage take-up”.

Asked if Jews were included in the Party’s definition of ethnic minorities, a Party spokesperson confirmed that it did.