# Economic inequality predicts pandemic outcomes better than preparedness: study 2026-08-08T07:54:49+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at a major AIDS conference in Brazil finds that economic inequality is the clearest predictor of how countries handle pandemics, better than traditional measures like labs and stockpiles. The United States and Britain topped pandemic preparedness indexes but had far higher Covid cases and deaths than the global average, while lower-inequality countries such as Vietnam and Norway fared better despite being deemed less prepared. Lead author Matthew Kavanagh of Georgetown University said deeper inequality means deeper pandemics. The study, by the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, calls for social protections, debt relief, and patent reform. Some experts, however, caution that the paper lacks quantitative modelling. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: Covid-19, economic inequality, global health, inequality, Joseph Stiglitz, pandemic preparedness Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/economic-inequality-predicts-pandemic-outcomes-better-than-preparedness-study/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/economic-inequality-predicts-pandemic-outcomes-better-than-preparedness-study/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.