The ‘jab market’ of private COVID vaccines is a good thing for public health – but not for health inequality

By Simon Nicholas Williams, Swansea University

COVID vaccines will go on sale privately in England and Scotland from April 1 for all those aged 12 and over. In the US, they have been available to buy commercially since 2023, with the private sector already accounting for a substantial proportion of vaccine sales. It is likely that a growing number of countries will follow suit.

Is offering jabs privately a good thing for public health? Yes. But, would it be better and fairer if they were free for all who want them? Yes.

What are the benefitS?

Making COVID vaccines available to more people, even if it means some people will have to pay for them, is a good thing. That’s because the more people that are able to keep up to date with COVID boosters, the higher the level of immunity across the population.

High booster coverage can help protect against surging cases or potential new variants, and help lower levels of COVID-related sickness across the population.

In turn, this could help reduce COVID-related absenteeism – the UK is currently experiencing a rise in long-term sickness amongst its workforce and, since the NHS is currently under massive strain, it could ease pressure on the UK’s crumbling health services. Crucially, though, increased booster coverage could help reduce rates of long COVID – the risk of which rises with multiple re-infections .

It’s important that those at highest risk of serious COVID outcomes – those with clinical conditions and those aged over 65 – continue to be prioritized for free vaccines.

But COVID is certainly not harmless in those under 65. For example, long COVID is found in all ages with the highest percentage of diagnoses in those aged 36-50. It is a shame that more people in 2023 weren’t able to reduce their risk of long COVID or sickness by not being able to access a booster vaccine at all.

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https://theconversation.com/the-jab-market-of-private-covid-vaccines-is-a-good-thing-for-public-health-but-not-for-health-inequality-222721