Increased mortality in socioeconomic disadvantaged municipalities during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lombardy region

Lombardy was the first European region most severely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the spring of 2020. During that period, a substantial increase in socioeconomic inequality in total mortality was observed. This study aims to evaluate mortality data in the region up to September 2023 to verify whether the increased disparities between the poorest and the wealthiest municipalities persisted in the subsequent phases of the pandemic.