Inside Europe’s largest Hindu temple, volunteers reject myths and administer coronavirus vaccines

The two-year-old mother, 60, belongs to the Hindu community of Brent district in north-west London. Although this was one of the UK neighborhoods most affected by Covid-19, a senior Brent council official acknowledged in September that authorities “did not engage effectively” with black, Asian and other minority groups in the early stages of the pandemic, adding that many local residents felt “disempowered” and marginalized.

Brent had the highest Covid-19 mortality rate of all local authorities in England and Wales from March 1 to June 30, 2020, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (ONS). United Kingdom.

Patel says she, as a front-line medical worker, has seen systemic inequalities continue to develop during the deployment of vaccines in the UK.

“When someone is worried, it’s very important that you speak to them in their own language because it’s their comfort zone,” Patel explained. “Especially in older populations, so when they come here we have volunteers who are also able to translate.”

Patients arrive by appointment and, after a hand sanitizer pump and a quick check-in process, are ushered into one of the 12 vaccination pods erected in the school’s theater room.

Some 35 volunteers, many of them members of the temple, support the bustling operation, often switching between several languages ​​to address people who are mostly reaching the elderly.

“It’s very empowering, especially because we return to our local community. Not just temple members, but members of the local area.” one of the volunteers told us, “It gives a real sense of community spirit, trying to help other people.”

Inside every pod is a story: a Hindu worshiper and a mailer eager to get vaccinated for their daily races, an Iraqi woman who needs an Arabic translator to pass on her medical history, a couple eager to get vaccinated so they can visit their children. to Los Angeles.

“It’s very exciting to see the temple and see all the people in the community here, too, from the temple,” Ranjana Patel said after getting vaccinated, “When I saw Hasmita, I was very, very excited to see her! “

Socio-economic deprivation and ingrained health inequalities are partly to blame for the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minority communities, but a local government report also acknowledged critical disclosure and messaging errors at the beginning of the Covid-19 period. pandemic.

Now, as vaccinations are developing at breakneck speed across the UK, studies show that minority groups have higher hesitation and lower confidence in public institutions, a powerful combination that could cost lives. precious.

That is why the choice of home lawn, the iconic Neasden Temple, has profound significance for some of the most successful Hindu families. Similar vaccination sites have appeared in mosques and other places of worship in the national effort to immunize the population.

“This will give a lot of confidence to the local community that this vaccine is safe,” said Tarun Patel, a spokesman for the Temple, “because people trust the temple and I think this will help eliminate some of the misconceptions about the virus and the vaccine itself “.

The temple also conducts its own awareness campaign by posting close to daily videos in English and Gujarati to explain the latest government guidelines and discredit misinformation circulating on social media.

Patel says these videos have impacted those who may have been reluctant to get the vaccine.

“Because it has religious leaders telling about vaccination, I think the community feels more comfortable,” he said.

Local champions like Patel have stepped in to fight on their own, where it seems other public leaders have dropped minority communities.

By giving its community the opportunity to lead locally the most important healthcare project of our time and improve Britain’s largest vaccination program in history, Patel hopes to eliminate structural inequalities.

“I am very proud of this clinic and not only because it is a clinic that is so successful, but also because we are right in front of the temple,” Patel said.

“Every day, when I walk in, I can see the temple and I can feel satisfied that I am in my community and that I am serving the community.”