COVID-19 incidence and outcome by affluence/deprivation across three pandemic waves in Ireland: A retrospective cohort study using routinely collected data.

Our study suggests that COVID-19 spreads easily through all strata of society and particularly in the more deprived population; however this was not a consistent finding. Ireland is ethnically more homogenous than other countries reporting a larger deprivation gradient, and in such societies, structural racial differences may contribute more to poor COVID outcomes than elements of deprivation.