Midands stars join BAME video message to dispel myths about Covid vaccine

Meera Syal and Adil Ray joined with other influential figures from the South Asian and BAME community to make the video, which urges people to get the Covid vaccine.

Comedians such as Romesh Ranganathan, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Asim Chaudhry took part, as did politicians such as Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and former Conservative Party Chairman Baroness Warsi.

The five-minute-long video works to debunk common vaccine misinformation and misconceptions after a spread of fake news about the vaccine, particularly in the South Asian community, has led to concerns about uptake of the vaccine.

Meera Syal, who comes from Wolverhampton, opens the video with a number of greetings and says the last year has been the most challenging for many people.

She said: "We have suffered in unimaginable ways and many of us have lost our loved ones."

Adil Ray said: "Looking after others and serving our community is what we do, it's how we've been brought up.

"It's why we have such immense pride when a family member becomes a doctor or a nurse, we have so much respect for them.

"They need our respect not more than ever, they need our help."

Birmingham-born Citizen Khan star Adil Ray co-ordinated the video and said he wanted to dispel vaccination myths for those from ethnic minority communities.

He said on Twitter: "We all have to do something to help one another during these difficult times."

Both Adil Ray and Meera Syal said that members of their families had had the vaccine, with three aunts and one uncles from Mr Ray and Mrs Syal's mother having had it.

Mrs Syal took to Twitter to say she was pleased to be part of the project and offered her own thanks to Adil Ray for co-ordinating the video.

She said: "Glad to be part of this.

"Thanks Adil Ray for getting us together for this important message to our community."