The incidence of COVID-19-related hospitalisation in migrants in the UK: Findings from the Virus Watch prospective community cohort study

Abstract

Background

Migrants in the United Kingdom (UK) may be at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure; however, little is known about their risk of COVID-19-related hospitalisation during waves 1–3 of the pandemic.

Methods

We analysed secondary care data linked to Virus Watch study data for adults and estimated COVID-19-related hospitalisation incidence rates by migration status. To estimate the total effect of migration status on COVID-19 hospitalisation rates, we ran mixed-effect Poisson regression for wave 1 (01/03/2020–31/08/2020; wildtype), and mixed-effect negative binomial regressions for waves 2 (01/09/2020–31/05/2021; Alpha) and 3 (01/06/2020–31/11/2021; Delta). Results of all models were then meta-analysed.

Results

Of 30,276 adults in the analyses, 26,492 (87.5 %) were UK-born and 3,784 (12.5 %) were migrants. COVID-19-related hospitalisation incidence rates for UK-born and migrant individuals across waves 1–3 were 2.7 [95 % CI 2.2–3.2], and 4.6 [3.1–6.7] per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Pooled incidence rate ratios across waves suggested increased rate of COVID-19-related hospitalisation in migrants compared to UK-born individuals in unadjusted 1.68 [1.08–2.60] and adjusted analyses 1.35 [0.71–2.60].

Conclusion

Our findings suggest migration populations in the UK have excess risk of COVID-19-related hospitalisations and underscore the need for more equitable interventions particularly aimed at COVID-19 vaccination uptake among migrants.