What COVID‐19 has taught us about social inequities and the urgent need for systemic change

This paper critically comments on the state of affairs in the UK relating to the pandemic and explores how a focus on inequities experienced by marginalized and vulnerable groups is necessary for exposing the material realties of everyday life, but also how such a focus has been hijacked by center right politics to distract us from collective responsibilities and building alliances for systemic change. The paper critically reviews the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the most marginalized and vulnerable in UK society and highlights the interconnected risk factors of COVID-19 and its secondary impacts to demonstrate how these are linked to political ideology, policy, and practice. We conclude with recommendations informed through a looking back at the key tenants and purposes of universal healthcare to apprise what is needed in this moment of crisis and beyond. [Abstract copyright: © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.]