In an op-ed for The Spectator, IEA Head of Political Economy Dr Kristian Niemietz has welcomed the UK’s successful vaccine rollout but warned “NHS cheerleaders should not get too carried away“.

Kristian explained that vaccine distribution by other healthcare systems in Europe which are based on social insurance models, for example, also distributed vaccines as well as systems similar to the NHS.

Kristian said: “We cannot limit international performance comparisons to the few instances where this leads to socially desirable results. So let’s thank NHS staff for their efforts in rolling out the vaccines. But let’s not also ignore the lessons that can be learned from the health service’s response to the pandemic“.