The influence of socio-economic conditions on the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Australia

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exposed socio-economic inequalities in many countries; people living with disadvantage are more susceptible to infection, hospitalisation, and death.1, 2 Until recently, COVID-19 infection and death rates in Australia were relatively low, but the ecological study by Roder and colleagues in this issue of the MJA suggests that social and economic factors also influenced the distribution of infections here.3 A socio-economic gradient in COVID-19 cases was predicted early in the pandemic.4, 5 Ecological studies provide some evidence of this gradient, and are vital for informing disease prevention policy and clinical practice.