Population differences in diagnosed Covid-19 prevalence in the Netherlands: Which groups are at highest risk?

Every resident has the right to protection against the COVID-19 virus. In this study, differences in GGD test street visits and infection rates between groups of residents were studied. COVID registration data from three GGDs were linked to data from Statistics Netherlands on socio-economic position, demography, living and working conditions. Mainly residents from private households with children had themselves tested at the GGD. The elderly, residents of (care) institutions and care workers were also regularly tested positive at other test locations. Due to differences in registration policies between test locations, not all groups of residents could be fairly compared. Differences between population groups in the development of the infection rate were numerically inconsistent over time. Conversations with residents confirm that their behavior has also fluctuated over time. Compliance with the behavioral measures was determined, among other things, by the perceived risk of becoming infected yourself, of infecting a vulnerable other person and the possibilities to remove yourself from risky situations.