Ethnic minority groups in England and Wales - factors affecting the size and timing of elevated COVID-19 mortality: a retrospective cohort study linking Census and death records

Abstract Objectives To estimate population-level associations between ethnicity and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality, and to investigate how ethnicity-specific mortality risk evolved over the course of the pandemic. Design Retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data. Setting England and Wales, deaths occurring 2 March to 15 May 2020. Participants Respondents to the 2011 Census of England and Wales aged ≤100 years and enumerated in private households, linked to death registrations and adjusted to account for emigration before the outcome period, who were alive on 1 March 2020 ( n =47,872,412). Main outcome measure Death related to COVID-19, registered by 29 May 2020. Statistical methods We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for ethnic minority groups compared with the White population using Cox…