Professor Michael Calnan and Dr Tom Douglass’ new book Power, Policy and the Pandemic: A Sociological Analysis of COVID-19 Policy in England, is one of the latest addition to the Emerald Points series.
The book illuminates how powerful structural interests shape the conception and delivery of COVID-19 policy. It provides a systematic sociological reflection on the COVID policy’s differentiated impact on socio-economic groups.
Drawing on published documentary material, the book first examines government attempts to contain, delay, mitigate and suppress the spread of the coronavirus with non-pharmaceutical interventions in the absence of a vaccine (during the first wave) and then whilst vaccines were being gradually rolled out (during the second wave and third waves). The focus then shifts on to vaccination policy and the actors central in the design and implementation of the vaccination programme in England. The approach taken to the funding, development, and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines is also explored and furthermore considers vaccine coverage, vaccine passports, and vaccine nationalism.
The book is an insightful read for anyone who is interested in health policy, public health and medical sociology.