Covid-19 in remote and rural communities

In this policy briefing, we describe how population age and location could affect regional Covid-19 death rates in the UK. Our findings show significant differences in the projected death rates between the constituent countries of the UK, between its regions and within regions. This is mainly due to older and younger people living in different areas. With small towns and rural areas generally comprised of older communities, they could see heavy population losses if the virus spreads widely across the UK. Studies have already shown that countries with older populations are likely to see higher hospitalisation and mortality (death) rates than those with young people during the Covid-19 pandemic. Population age structure varies across countries, but even more so within countries’ regions. A recent study from the UK shows a substantial separation between young and old age groups in where they live. This ‘spatial segregation’ between young and old may limit the spread of the virus within the UK. However, it is also clear that it will make some communities more vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic than others