Age discrimination, the right to life, and Covid‐19 vaccination in countries with limited resources

Bibliographic Data

ID10220977
AuthorsPeter Lloyd-Sherlock (0000-0002-1367-0703, University of East Anglia, corresponding author), Peter Lloyd‐sherlock (University of East Anglia Norwich Norfolk UK), A M Guntupalli (0000-0002-4879-2110, University of Aberdeen), Aravinda Guntupalli (University of Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeenshire UK), Lucas Sempé (0000-0002-0978-6455, University of East Anglia Norwich Norfolk UK)
Year2022
Volume78
Issue4
Pages883-899
Publication date2022-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social Issues (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-4537 • E-ISSN: 1540-4560
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josi.12561
PMID36249552
OpenAlexW4298110020
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited46

This paper seeks to develop and apply a simple yardstick based on remaining life expectancy to assess whether specific health policies unfairly discriminate against people on the basis of their age. This reveals that the COVID‐19 vaccine prioritization policies of several countries have discriminated against older people. Conversely, the exclusion of older people from COVID‐19 vaccine testing is shown to be non‐discriminatory, as is some degree of age prioritization for limited acute COVID‐19 care. Age discrimination in vaccine prioritization is shown to be embedded in wider ageist attitudes in health policy, which give the lives of older people a lower social value than the lives of people at younger ages

Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Disease · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Health care · Life expectancy · Older people · Prioritization · Social distance · Value (mathematics · Yardstick · Computer Science · Employment and Welfare Studies · Global Health Care Issues · Healthcare Systems and Challenges · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

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