Britain ‘has made great strides’ in reaching out to coronavirus vaccine sceptics and boosting uptake among black people, a cabinet minister said today.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng blamed ‘misinformation’ and ‘people sharing things on social media’ for some getting scared of having jabs. 

But he claimed there had already been ‘huge improvements’ in willingness to get vaccinated since the national drive began in December.

It came as Sir Lenny Henry and other black celebrities, including actress Thandie Newton and YouTube star KSI, today penned an open letter to urge ethnic minority people to get vaccinated, calling on them to ‘trust the facts’ from professors, doctors, scientists and GPs. 

Official data yesterday revealed that up to 40 per cent of elderly black Britons have not yet had a vaccine.

An Office for National Statistics report, based on data from 20million people, yesterday revealed that up to 40 per cent of elderly black Britons have not yet had a vaccine compared to just 10 per cent of elderly white people.  

Jab hesitancy among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people has been a theme throughout the NHS campaign, with language barriers, a mistrust in Government and misinformation online blamed for fuelling scepticism.

The Government last month launched an advertising blitz to tackle the problem amid fears rates will be even poorer in younger people, who are less vulnerable to Covid but still spread it. 

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Tuesday blamed 'misinformation' and 'people sharing things online' for higher jab hesitancy rates in some communities. Sir Lenny Henry has written an open letter urging all black people to get the Covid jab

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng today blamed ‘misinformation’ and ‘people sharing things online’ for higher jab hesitancy rates in some communities.

Sir Lenny Henry has written an open letter urging all black people to get the Covid jab

Film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton, author Malorie Blackman and radio DJ Trevor Nelson are among the signatories of an open letter by Sir Lenny Henry, pictured above, urging black Britons to get the Covid-19 vaccine

Film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton, author Malorie Blackman and radio DJ Trevor Nelson are among the signatories of an open letter by Sir Lenny Henry, pictured above, urging black Britons to get the Covid-19 vaccine

A report published yesterday by the Office for National Statistics on Monday found just 58.89 per cent of black African Brits over the age of 70 had received at least one dose of either Pfizer or AstraZeneca 's vaccine by March 11

A report published yesterday by the Office for National Statistics found just 58.89 per cent of black African Brits over the age of 70 had received at least one dose of either Pfizer or AstraZeneca ‘s vaccine by March 11

The ONS calculated that black Brits were up to seven times less likely to get the jab than their white peers

The ONS calculated that black Brits were up to seven times less likely to get the jab than their white peers

The report also found that Muslims were the religious group least likely to take the vaccine, with only 72.3 per cent of over-70s getting one so far, followed by Buddhists (78.1 per cent)

The report also found that Muslims were the religious group least likely to take the vaccine, with only 72.3 per cent of over-70s getting one so far, followed by Buddhists (78.1 per cent)

Mr Kwarteng leapt to the defence of the inoculation drive today, saying solid progress had been made in tackling jab scepticism among some communities.

‘I think there’s possibly a degree of misinformation, people share things on social media.

I think there’s a wariness sometimes,’ he told Sky News.

‘At the beginning of the vaccine process there was a lot more scepticism among certain communities here in the UK than there is today. I think we’ve made great strides actually.

‘And free sex videos there’s still a way to go, but I think there’s been a huge improvement and a huge increase in uptake among vulnerable communities and among BAME communities as well.’