Age and covid fatality. Issue 1 (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Subramanian, S.
• Is Part Of: Development studies research. Volume 8:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 236
• Page End: 243
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: D31 -- D63 -- I14 -- I31 -- I32; Covid mortality -- age-distribution -- measurement -- mortality indicator -- case fatality rate -- inequality -- poverty; Economic development -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Research -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Social aspects -- Research -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; 338.9
• DOI: 10.1080/21665095.2021.1967769
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2166-5095

Abstract

ABSTRACT: It is widely acknowledged that the distribution of Covid cases and that of Covid deaths by age constitute a factor that deserves to be taken into account in assessing and comparing quantitative indicators of Covid-related mortality. The single most widely employed measure of Covid mortality is the so-called Case Fatality Rate (CFR), which is just the ratio of Covid deaths to Covid cases. The CFR is essentially a measure of central tendency. The present note outlines a procedure, drawing on the standard literature on income inequality, for deriving a measure of Covid mortality which supplements information on average mortality with information on its dispersion across a population's age cohorts.