When reading “Why Rich Countries must Protect Developing Nations from Coronavirus Pandemic” an article by Ed Holt for the Inter Press service, I wondered what factors could effect the severity of the Coronavirus outbreak, other than healthcare strength. The two factors I want to talk about are population age and population density.

Population Age: As we learned in “The Accidental Superpower” by Peter Ziehan, developing countries tend to have younger populations on average. The knowledge combined with the fact that Covid-19 tends to be more lethal more older people could mean the lethality is less in developing countries. While the younger population may be an advantage in tackling the spread of Covid-19, I do not think it will counteract weak healthcare systems and access to treatment.

Population Density: Cities in developing countries often have densely packed neighborhoods. While I recognize this is a generalization and the population layout of all countries is varied, the lower median income of certain nations can make it more likely for families to live in small apartments in dense urban centers. These tight packed communities can lead to rapid spread of infections disease.

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