"The COVID-19 virus has spread within the last weeks to a large number of countries worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that the epidemics does not impact everyone the same. In this note we explore the main demographic differentials in the spread and impact of COVID-19 paying special attention to the combined effect of age and gender, and to the differences at territorial level where population
density and size play a main role in the diffusion and effects of the disease in terms of morbidity and mortality. This knowledge complements and refines the epidemiological information about the spread of the virus. For this analysis, we rely mostly on descriptive exploration of data from The European Surveillance System (TESSy) database developed at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on the number of cases and fatality rates. The analysis at territorial level, which we complement with data from USAfacts about counties in the United States, studies the changes in R0 – the infection reproduction number – across territories with different levels of urbanization. The findings confirm and define the differential impacts in terms of infections and fatalities. The information is important for stakeholders at EU, national and sub-national levels in charge of designing an exit strategy from COVID-19 and anticipating the rebound for certain segments of the population with differential medical needs, particularly those living in high-density locations."

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ISBN (PDF) : 9789276191803