News Input by Kamal Prabhakar Uk Head Hello Mumbai News :

Unmesh Desai is the London Assembly Member for East London and the City of London, a constituency that is home to both some of the richest and some of the poorest communities in not just London but the whole of the UK. He’s responsible for scrutinising the work of the Mayor of London and representing the needs of his constituents in London-wide matters.

Speaking as the UK begins to administer the first Covid-19 vaccinations in the world, Mr Desai said:

“I am delighted that the UK is now rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine – it brings real hope. Just today I took my mum to her appointment to get the vaccine and I was impressed at the efficiency of the NHS’s operations.

“Everyone here and around the world still needs to be careful for now until the vaccine reaches a large percentage of the population. In East London right now, cases are still rising and the UK Government needs to do more to protect people. Just today I heard of the death of a friend from Covid-19.

“Until the vaccine has been administered to everyone, we all need to keep taking care of ourselves, socially distancing, wearing a mask and washing our hands regularly.

“Through my work on the London Assembly’s Health Committee, I’ve learned how vitally important it is that we bust the myths – and they are just myths – that the vaccine is dangerous. We need to make sure as many people as possible learn the real facts and take the vaccine, to prevent more needless deaths. I’ll be taking it myself as soon as it’s available to people in my age group.

“Looking to the future, there are many lessons to be learned from this pandemic about the need for proper investment worldwide in the technology and systems needed to deal with any future pandemics as quickly and safely as possible, as well as reducing health inequalities around the world – inequalities that have been the cause of too many deaths this year.

“The richest people in the richest countries should not have a monopoly on being kept safe and healthy, so let’s learn from Covid-19 and do better for everyone in the future.”