Essai d’une géographie de la Covid-19 dans les Iles Britanniques

Abstract

Understanding the geography of Covid-19 implies answering two interrelated questions. First, how is it that, within the British archipelago, Ireland enjoys a much lower death rate than the UK, while their prevalence rates are similar -and much higher than the European average? Next, how are we to explain the multiple differences that appear between the territories of the Kingdom? We first conclude that the low death rate of Ireland is the result of two combined factors: a significantly high percentage of young people and a most remarkable hospital system. The situation within the UK is much more complicated to decipher, notably for the English regions and especially Wales, where Covid-19 is some sort of a puzzle. Meanwhile, the excellent results of both Scotland and Northern Ireland can be explained, respectively, by high spending and by the combination of a strong support from London and of an effective attempt at replicating the Health Care system of the Republic.

Keywords

• Scotland
• Brexit
• Northern Ireland
• Wales
• Ireland
• Covid-19