Inequality, poverty, deprivation and the uneven spread of COVID-19 in Europe

COVID-19 is mostly considered to have ravaged places with high levels of inequality and poverty. Yet, in the case of Europe, the evidence is limited. In this paper we address this gap in our knowledge by exploring how regional variations in poverty, material deprivation, wealth, and inter-personal inequality have shaped COVID-19-related excess mortality. The results show that the connection between poverty, deprivation, wealth, and inequality and excess mortality during the first 18 months of the pandemic is limited. There is no link between inequality and the lethality of COVID-19, while poverty and material deprivation are connected to less excess mortality.