PREPPING for pandemics (PRoviding insights in Excess mortality among PoPulatIoN subGroups for pandemics)

In PREPPING for Pandemics we have tried to gain insight into the health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic by investigating which groups in society have been hit the hardest. This project consisted of 3 parts. We have looked at: protection against COVID infection (for example through vaccination); the number of positive tests, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19; and "excess mortality" (meaning: more mortality than expected, based on previous mortality figures from 2012-2019). The same conclusion always emerged: the health consequences of the pandemic are not equally distributed in society. People with the lowest incomes and with a migration background experienced the worst consequences. They ended up in hospital more often and experienced more excess mortality than other population subgroups. In future pandemics, the most vulnerable in our society must be better protected.