People with a low income have a higher risk to die from corona. The CBS (Statistics Netherlands) reports that the mortality risk of COVID-19 in the poorest 20 per cent of the Dutch population, who did not receive (home- or long-term) care was twice as high compared to the richest 20 per cent of the population. APH-researcher Anton Kunst was one of the researchers of the research team of Amsterdam UMC who analysed the CBS-data of the first wave of the corona-pandemic from March to July 2020.

During the first wave a total of 10.067 inhabitants of the Netherlands passed away with a COVID-19 diagnosis or with a strong suspicion of a COVID-19 infection. The researchers were interested in the differences between certain populations, like non-western migrants and people with a low income. The effect of income difference is highest in the group of 70 and younger. The chance of dying in this group was almost three times bigger in the low-income group compared to the high-income group. For the group of 70 and older was the risk almost twice as high.

An explanation for the difference can be found in the smaller houses and the other working conditions of the 70 minus group. These circumstances increase the risk of people getting corona. "It could be that people with a low income more often work in sectors where working from home is not an option or where it is difficult to comply with the corona measures."

Read article on the NOS website.

Read article on the CBS website.