People aged 40 and living in poor regions of Greater Santiago, the capital of Chile, are more than three times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those in affluent regions.
Individuals aged between 41 and 80 years in the more vulnerable regions of the capital also tend to be more affected by the pandemic than people of the same age in wealthier areas, according to a study coordinated by biologist Pamela Martinez, from the University of Illinois.
She and her team analyzed the number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 in Greater Santiago’s 34 municipalities. They also assessed the mobility of residents during the government’s tightest coronavirus restrictions. The researchers found that the mobility of those living in poor areas remained largely unchanged, presumably because they were unable to work from home.
Residents from poor areas also had less access to Covid-19 tests, reinforcing that socioeconomic disparities accentuate the impacts of the pandemic — even more so in Latin America.
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