Multi-dimensional inequality and Covid-19 in Brazil

Luiza Nassif Pires () and Eduardo Rawet Laura Carvalho

No 2020_26, Working Papers, Department of Economics from University of São Paulo (FEA-USP)

Abstract: The paper presents empirical evidence from Brazil on the bidirectional relationship between inequality and the COVID-19 crisis: racial, regional and income inequalities have both aggravated the pandemic and been exacerbated by it. The paper provides a measure of social risk factors to COVID-19, which is positively associated with the number of Covid-19 cases across Brazilian states. This is complemented by a discussion of the country's inequalities in access to healthcare and in the incidence of comorbidities, which elucidates observed disparities in the need of a ventilator and in the number of deaths by COVID-19. Finally, our empirical analysis suggests that the substantive fiscal effort in the country and particularly the implementation of the cash relief program Auxílio Emergencial neutralized the short-term increase in wage disparities but has been insufficient to neutralize the cost of multi-dimensional structural inequalities on Brazil’s death tolls.

Keywords: inequality; Covid-19 in Brazil; social vulnerability; health disparities; intersectionality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 I14 J15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-05-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-lam
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