In March and April after the first outbreak in China, the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic was Europe. From the very first days of COVID-19’s spread, a flurry of official statements spoke of a disease that was affecting all populations equally, that is, without social distinction. Epidemiologists stressed that it was most dangerous, by far for the elderly and a little more so for men than women, rarely without venturing beyond these biological criteria.

Yet the spread of the virus, and to an even greater extent its effects, are based on a logic of social differentiation. COVID-19 arrived in Europe via carriers like executives of large domestic firms, military personnel, and tourists traveling by plane, and — as suggested by the first statistical assessments —  it seems to have subsequently affected primarily working-class populations in several European countries.

In the United Kingdom, a study of 2,494 deaths by the Office for National Statistics shows that the people who are most at risk are workers with the lowest levels of qualification, especially men, who have remained in direct contact with work colleagues or the public. In France, trends suggest that the working classes in the Paris region are the most severely affected. Indeed, mortality is higher in départements such as Seine-Saint-Denis to the north of Paris, where there is a large working-class population, and in particular an urban proletariat of immigrant origin. These areas are also home to the most precarious living conditions such as overcrowded housing, high-income inequalities, difficulties in access to healthcare, and poorly-equipped public health services.