Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and David Harewood are part of a group of influential actors who signed an open letter from Sir Lenny Henry urging the Black British to get a coronavirus vaccine.
The letter, supported by the National Health Service, is accompanied by a short film by BAFTA winner Amma Asante, who megaphones the message of the letter. The film will be showing on Sky, BT Sport, ViacomCBS, Discovery and A&E tonight.
According to research by the Office for National Statistics, which suggests that only 49% of UK black adults are likely to receive the vaccine, Henry’s letter said, “You have legitimate concerns, we hear. We know that change has to take place and that it is difficult to trust some institutions and authorities. However, we ask that you trust the facts about the vaccine from our own professors, doctors, and scientists who were involved in the development of the vaccine. “
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It adds, “Don’t let blacks continue to be disproportionately affected by this terrible disease. Many in our community say they don’t want to take the vaccine, much more so than other groups. However, the fact is that we are disproportionately affected by the virus and many of our loved ones have died. Don’t let coronavirus cost more black lives. “
Other signatories include Naomi Ackie, Adrian Lester, Adjoa Andoh and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. You can read the full letter below:
Dear mothers, fathers, grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, daughters, sons and cousins,
We love you!
We know we don’t say it enough and sometimes we have our disagreements like all families do, but wherever you are we love you with all our hearts and we know you love us.
And we want to see you again. COVID-19 has kept us apart for far too long. We want to hug you, we want to party with you, we want to go out to eat with you, we want to worship with you, we want to watch football and cricket with you, we want to beat you at video games – in the same room so we can put the expression on yours Face when we do this.
But to do all of that, we must all take the COVID-19 surge. We’re all in it together.
Things are slowly getting back to normal. Well what people call the new normal. The reality is that the new normal may mean a vaccine is needed to do many of the things we now take for granted.
Because we love you – we want you to be safe and not to be left out or left behind. While other communities are rushing to get the vaccine and millions have been vaccinated, some blacks in our community are more cautious.
You have legitimate concerns and concerns, we hear that. We know that change has to take place and that it is difficult to trust some institutions and authorities.
However, we ask that you trust the facts about the vaccine from our own professors, doctors, scientists involved in the development of the vaccine and general practitioners, not just in the UK but around the world including the Caribbean and Africa. Many of them are our relatives, many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people of this country from this pandemic.
And the thousands who volunteered to take part in the vaccine trials so we know it’s safe and works for people of all races.
Don’t let their sacrifice be in vain. Don’t let your understandable fears hold you back. Do not allow your concerns to be what adds to racial inequality in our society. Don’t let black people continue to be disproportionately affected by this terrible disease. Many in our community say they don’t want to take the vaccine, much more so than other groups. However, the fact is that we are disproportionately affected by the virus and many of our loved ones have died. Don’t let coronavirus cost more black lives.
We love you. We don’t want you to get sick. We don’t want you to die.
We know you love us too so please listen to us and when it’s your turn take the push.
And when you do, tell Cousin Mo to do the same (is he really my cousin?)
Let’s do this together.
Many Thanks.
Lenny
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