‘Black and Asian’ under higher COVID-19 risk: Research

By Gozde Bayar and Dilan Pamuk

ANKARA (AA) - A new study reveals that the Black and Asian races may be under greater risk of contracting the coronavirus compared to white people.

Researchers at Leicester and Nottingham Universities examined data obtained from 50 studies, 42 from the United States and eight from England.

“Individuals of Black and Asian ethnicity are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection compared to White individuals; Asians may be at higher risk of ITU [Intense Therapy Unit] admission and death,” said the study published in weekly medical journal The Lancet.

It said Blacks were twice as likely to catch the virus, while Asians were 1.5 times more likely.

However, this has less to do with genetics and more with their lower socio-economic status, crowded households living together and not being given the opportunity to work from home.

The study states that people of Asian origins may also need intensive care after getting the infection.

“These findings are of critical public health importance in informing interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality amongst ethnic minority groups,” the researchers said.