Power, Policy and the Pandemic: A Sociological Analysis of COVID-19 Policy in England

This book provides a sociological analysis of the policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, focusing on the interplay between powerful structural interests and the influence on the development of COVID-19 policy. It examines government attempts to contain, delay, mitigate, and suppress the spread of the coronavirus, as well as vaccination policy and the actors central in the design and implementation of the vaccination program. It also considers vaccine coverage, vaccine passports, and vaccine nationalism, and the overall impact of COVID-19 policy on health and between socio-economic groups.

Format: Hardback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 14 February 2022
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Providing a comprehensive sociological analysis of the policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, this study delves into the intricate interplay between powerful structural interests and their influence on the development of COVID-19 policy. By examining a diverse range of actors, including the government, scientific experts, the medical profession, the media, and the public, and the nature of their relationships with one another, the authors identify the key sociological aspects that have shaped, facilitated, challenged, or constrained COVID-19 policy in England.

Drawing on published documentary material, the authors first examine the government's attempts to contain, delay, mitigate, and suppress the spread of the coronavirus through non-pharmaceutical interventions in the absence of a vaccine during the first wave. They then shift their focus to vaccination policy, examining the central actors involved in designing and implementing the vaccination program in England. The approach taken to funding, developing, and manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines is explored, as well as vaccine coverage, vaccine passports, and vaccine nationalism.

In conclusion, this book offers valuable insights for policymakers, health service managers, and those studying for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the social, medical, and public health sciences. It sheds light on the complex dynamics that shaped the policy response to the pandemic, highlighting the interplay between structural interests and the development of COVID-19 policy in England.

Weight: 356g
Dimension: 165 x 239 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802620108