The Socioeconomic Patterns of COVID Outside Advanced Economies: The Case of Bogotá

16 Pages Posted: 2 Dec 2020

See all articles by Marcela Eslava

Marcela Eslava

University of the Andes (CEDE)

Oscar Becerra

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia

Juan-Camilo Cárdenas

Universidad de Los Andes

Margarita Isaacs

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia

Daniel Mejia

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - Department of Economics

Date Written: November 25, 2020

Abstract

Using Bogota’s system of socioeconomic division, the “strata”, we show that falling ill with a serious case of COVID has been over eight times more likely for an individual in the lowest stratum, where the poorer population concentrates, compared to one in the highest. Other pieces of evidence are consistent with this being driven by more exposure to contagion, at least partly driven by people in the lower strata being: 1) Less likely to be in occupations fit for telework; 2) Not only more vulnerable ex ante but also disproportionately hit by the economic effects of the crisis, and therefore pushed to go to work; 3) Subject to more crowding at home; 4) Less likely to recognize a high risk of contagion. The mechanisms that we quantify will imply a widening of the socioeconomic gaps resulting from the pandemic, in one of the world’s most unequal societies.

Keywords: COVID, Inequality, Socioeconomic Impact, Psychological Biases, Latin America, Colombia

JEL Classification: O17, O20, D91

Suggested Citation

Eslava, Marcela and Becerra, Oscar and Cárdenas, Juan-Camilo and Isaacs, Margarita and Mejia, Daniel, The Socioeconomic Patterns of COVID Outside Advanced Economies: The Case of Bogotá (November 25, 2020). Documento CEDE No. 45, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3737832 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3737832

Marcela Eslava (Contact Author)

University of the Andes (CEDE) ( email )

Carrera 1a No. 18A-10
Santafe de Bogota, AA4976
Colombia

Oscar Becerra

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia ( email )

Carrera Primera # 18A-12
Bogota, DC D.C. 110311
Colombia

Juan-Camilo Cárdenas

Universidad de Los Andes ( email )

Carrera 1a No. 18A-10
Santafe de Bogota, AA4976
Colombia
339-4949 ext. 2473 (Phone)

Margarita Isaacs

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia ( email )

Carrera Primera # 18A-12
Bogota, DC D.C. 110311
Colombia

Daniel Mejia

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - Department of Economics ( email )

Carrera 1 No. 18 A - 10
Bogotá, AA4976
Colombia
57(1)3394949 ext 3737 (Phone)
57(1)3324492 (Fax)

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