There's always money for millionaires, never for key workers

The UK is not offering COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers this year.

This is in contrast to our neighbours in Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, all of whom include healthcare workers.

This decision was made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), but was explicitly done as a cost-saving exercise. Almost every other European nation has instead chosen to prioritise keeping hospital staff healthy and patients safe.

Meanwhile, in November it emerged that the Michelle Mone-linked PPE company, which took £148 million for faulty equipment, has also avoided a £39 million tax bill.

Holding just one such company accountable would pay for COVID boosters for every healthcare worker in Britain.

This is what systemic inequality looks like in action. There’s always money for millionaires, but never for the people who keep the country running.