Doing a Simplified Ethnic Minority Risk Assessment for Covid19

Early on in the pandemic, speculation about how badly Covid-19 affected those from ethnic minorities was rife but once identified, interest and how best to assess the risk and protect these workers started.

There is a great system which many use and I share it here. Just to be clear I am not claiming any glory, this system is not mine to claim, but this article spreads the word (especially to my worldwide audience) and helps those from less informed backgrounds of where to start with these complex ethnic minority risk assessments.

ALAMA Website

Most clinicians use the ALAMA guidelines.

1. First to assess risk (based on gender, body mass index, race, pregnancy, and underlying health conditions)
2. Quantify individual risks into high, medium, low risk of having a serious effect on the worker (vulnerability).
3. In each risk group there are simple control methods to adopt.

To do the assessment, it helps if you have medical or nursing training because sometimes you have to make a clinical judgement based on conflicting factors. But if you have nothing else - follow the guidance.

To read the associated blog: The Easy Way to Protect your Ethnic Minorities from Covid19

Or if you just want the links - look down

Links to Resources

• ALAMA website
• Downloadable questionnaire on the ALAMA website
• NHS Infographic "impact of Covid19 on BAME staff in NHS
• Cohorting patients in a clinical setting
• Pregnancy
• Advising of current guidelines to protect yourself and others, e.g. social distancing, hand-washing, self-isolating
• Personal protective equipment at work from the HSE
• Get a free NHS test to see if you have corona virus
• Test and trace procedures how it all works
• Advice for different workplaces about working safely from Gov UK
• BMI Calculator
• NHS Risk Assessment Guidance
• Read the article from the Civil Service: Please don't call me BAME or BME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic)