A group of 150 councillors, from both Conservative and Labour Parties, have joined forces to sign an open letter to their communities encouraging them to take the vaccine alongside social media videos seen over a million times on social media.
Signatories to the open letter include black and ethnic minority councillors from across the country including Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Medway from diverse backgrounds including from the British Indian, Muslim and Black communities.
Coronavirus has disproportionately had an impact on minority ethnic communities, in addition these communities have been subject to misleading information around the vaccine. The campaign seeks to encourage people not only to take the vaccine but also to have important conversations with loved ones and relatives about getting the protection they need from the virus.
Cllr Gurjit Kaur Bains (Cons, Gravesham) and Cllr Paulette Hamilton (Lab, Birmingham City) have come together to encourage black and ethnic minority councillors from across the country to play their part in fighting misinformation and urging people to take the vaccine when asked to do so.
The campaign has received the backing of the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer as well as Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi MP. Videos from councillors produced as part of the campaign have been seen over one million times.
Commenting on the campaign, Cllr Gurjit Kaur Bains said, “As elected councillors we understand our communities and throughout this pandemic have been helping to provide support to our most vulnerable.
This initiative is cross party because we all have a duty to protect our communities and fight misinformation. The message is clear, the vaccine is safe, it will protect you and your family.
We all have a role to play so I urge everyone to have conversations with their own friends and families about the importance of taking the vaccine. Let’s work together and fight this virus.”
