Coronavirus: Petition demands British citizenship for all foreign frontline health workers
Calls are mounting on the UK government to grant foreign workers in the National Health Service (NHS) British citizenship after 31 NHS workers were reported to have died after testing positive for the coronavirus.
More than 32,000 people had signed a petition by Monday demanding the government recognise the sacrifice of those on the frontline of the pandemic.
"The NHS is a great institution, but one that has been under great pressure for years. It could not function without staff who come from many different countries," the petition reads.
"Due to the COVID pandemic, we are asking these NHS workers to risk their lives to look after the British people while their own families are far away.
"This is a chance for the British Government and Public to show them how much we appreciate their invaluable contribution to our society."
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Since the petition has passed the figure of 10,000, the government must issue a response.
At 100,000 signatures, it must be debated in parliament.
The UK government has already extended visas for NHS frontline workers for one year free of charge so they can focus on fighting coronavirus.
Do more for foreign workers
However, campaign groups are demanding the government to do more for foreign workers. Staff from overseas make up nearly 15 percent of the NHS, with around 153,000 of the 1.2 million workers reporting a non-British nationality.
According to government figures, more than 13 percent of all doctors report an Asian nationality, of which almost two-thirds are Indian or Pakistani.
A further breakdown of the figures reveals that around 20 percent of all NHS staff come from Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities (BAME). The figure increases to 44 percent when it comes to medical staff.
According to the government, staff from BAME backgrounds have accounted for a "disproportionate" number of deaths from Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday.
Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities Marsha de Cordova called the numbers "deeply disturbing".
She added: "It reflects the shocking underlying inequalities facing BAME communities as a whole, who are disproportionately represented in the numbers of people getting the virus.
"The Government must urgently investigate why BAME communities are more vulnerable to this virus."
On Monday, the government reported that 717 people had died from the disease, bringing the UK's total death toll to 11,329.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
