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I'm sure this is a stupid idea but I did it anyway.
I had a look at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International and compared coronavirus stats between 2 blocs:
15 least corrupt European countries with the 15 most corrupt European countries.
I had a look at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International and compared coronavirus stats between 2 blocs:
15 least corrupt European countries with the 15 most corrupt European countries.
15 least corrupt: Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Holland, Germany, Iceland, UK, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Estonia, France, Spain.
Aggregate population: 344.7 million
Total cases: 868,681
Total deaths: 87,576
Average Case Fatality Rate: 10.1%
Aggregate population: 344.7 million
Total cases: 868,681
Total deaths: 87,576
Average Case Fatality Rate: 10.1%
15 most corrupt: Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia, Turkey, Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Greece, Slovakia, Belarus.
Aggregate population: 339.8 million
Total cases: 225,749
Total deaths: 4,931
Average Case Fatality Rate: 2.2%
Aggregate population: 339.8 million
Total cases: 225,749
Total deaths: 4,931
Average Case Fatality Rate: 2.2%
The first bloc is on average a week ahead of the 2nd bloc for the start of pandemic.
Discussion factors include: Population density, population age, travel, ICU capacity, tests completed, how they're classifying deaths.
There's a couple of metrics I can compare objectively:
Discussion factors include: Population density, population age, travel, ICU capacity, tests completed, how they're classifying deaths.
There's a couple of metrics I can compare objectively:
Avg. median population age of 15 least corrupt:
41.5 years
Avg. median population age of 15 most corrupt:
40.1 years
It's not nothing but if you take the blocs as a whole, there's not a massive difference in population ages (e.g. as you would find compared with Africa)
41.5 years
Avg. median population age of 15 most corrupt:
40.1 years
It's not nothing but if you take the blocs as a whole, there's not a massive difference in population ages (e.g. as you would find compared with Africa)
This is very interesting:
15 least corrupt countries:
Total tests: 5,580,162
Average Negativity Rate: 84.43%
Average Positivity Rate: 15.57%
15 most corrupt countries:
Total tests: 4,263,887
Average Negativity Rate: 94.71%
Average Positivity Rate: 5.29%
15 least corrupt countries:
Total tests: 5,580,162
Average Negativity Rate: 84.43%
Average Positivity Rate: 15.57%
15 most corrupt countries:
Total tests: 4,263,887
Average Negativity Rate: 94.71%
Average Positivity Rate: 5.29%
There's a load of outliers and caveats. One key thing to point out is the biggest country (Russia) account for 42% of the population in the most corrupt bloc and will skew things more than Germany who account for 24% of the least corrupt bloc. Anyway...
1. Case Fatality Rate difference is bloody enormous.
You're nearly 5 times less likely to die after testing positive for covid19 if you are living in a more corrupt country.
Which is to suggest they are simply chucking a lot of their deaths down as cancer and pneumonia.
You're nearly 5 times less likely to die after testing positive for covid19 if you are living in a more corrupt country.
Which is to suggest they are simply chucking a lot of their deaths down as cancer and pneumonia.
2. If you get tested, you are 3 times less likely to come back covid19 positive in a more corrupt country.
Possible factors: genetic, population density and movement of people.
But I think it's safe to suggest this might be a factor too as you move easterly towards Russia:
Possible factors: genetic, population density and movement of people.
But I think it's safe to suggest this might be a factor too as you move easterly towards Russia:
Probably won't shock anyone that Putin, Orban & Erdogan are more likely to be up to shenanigans than Merkel & Macron.
But even when you remove outliers like Russia & Moldova and Germany & Iceland - the trends are still roughly similar across the bloc that remain.
But even when you remove outliers like Russia & Moldova and Germany & Iceland - the trends are still roughly similar across the bloc that remain.
Possibly glib conclusion: If you live in a corrupt country, your leaders appear very open to compiling their stats in a way that makes them look great!
Slightly more serious conclusion: Eastern Europe are generally handling coronavirus stats differently to Western Europe.
Slightly more serious conclusion: Eastern Europe are generally handling coronavirus stats differently to Western Europe.
