A PUBLIC health boss has told Councillors of the work being done to protect Bradford's marginalised communities during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that a sex worker was offered support when she thought she may have the virus.

Sarah Muckle, Bradford Council's Director of Public Health, told a meeting of Bradford Council's Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee that the Council and other partner groups had worked together to support groups such as rough sleepers and sex workers during the pandemic.

She said such groups would not necessarily engage with statutory health services, so it was important they were offered support through outreach work.

Mrs Muckle told the meeting: "Working alongside different communities is essential to what we do.

"We have to engage with every part of the District, and we are a very diverse district.

More Covid deaths in deprived areas highlight Bradford's health inequalities

"We work with our community partners to work with the most marginalised communities in Bradford, such as rough sleepers, sex workers, the homeless and other groups who don't necessarily engage with National or statutory services.

"We've helped some of the local services who support these people to become contact tracers.

"One case where it worked quite well was recently there was a sex worker who thought she might be positive for Covid 19.

"The support services she normally engages with were able to pick this up and make sure she got tested and was given the right advice."

The woman tested negative.

A list of Bradford groups that are vulnerable to the wider health, social and economic impacts of Covid-19 was presented to members.

Groups on the list included people with mental health conditions, people with drug or alcohol problems and victims of domestic abuse.

Sex workers are also included on the list - and Councillors were told 80 to 100 people in Bradford were actively engaged in sex work.