DECIM: Investigating the drivers of excess mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Netherlands, an integrated dynamic model to assess the impact of vaccination and infection

More people have died during the Covid-19 pandemic than expected based on historical death data. This excess mortality can largely be explained by infections with Covid-19, but other causes also play a role. In this study, we want to use an advanced model to investigate what these causes were and which population groups were at greatest risk. We look at the entire Dutch population aged 65 and older in 2020-2021. We calculate the difference in excess mortality between people who were and were not infected, and who were and were not vaccinated. We also investigate which causes of death occurred more or less often than normal. This research is possible because linked data has now become available for the first time. This information helps to better identify the health risks that the Covid-19 pandemic has entailed and continues to entail, so that they can be taken into account in preparations for new pandemics.