Limited internet access linked to higher COVID death rates - a podcast by Marketplace

Internet access has been crucial during the pandemic, allowing some of us to work remotely or order all manner of things for delivery. But there’s not much research so far on the connection between internet access and health. A new paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association looks at how COVID mortality rates varied based on factors like race, socioeconomic status — and internet access. Researchers found that counties with less access could expect more COVID deaths; for every extra percentage point of homes without internet, another 2 to 6 people per 100,000 would die. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Qinyun Lin, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago’s Center for Spatial Data Science, who was the paper’s lead author.

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