Poorer paid workers in European countries are being worst affected by the COVID-19 economic impact, Oxford University's Dr Juan Palomino has told CGTN's The Agenda with Stephen Cole.

Deaths from coronavirus appear to be higher among people from disadvantaged backgrounds and now Palomino, of the Institute for New Economic Thinking, at Oxford, has said that financially, poorer people are also likely to be hit harder.

"In economic terms we know there is a huge impact in overall unemployment and decreasing GDP," he said. "But based on the different ability that people have to work and these conditions, the lockdown, and social distance, in terms of cases, that's going to affect in an asymmetric way the labor force and therefore have an impact on equality and poverty."

Inequality is rising in Europe because it is poorer paid jobs that have been worst affected by coronavirus, the Oxford University research has found.

"Essential occupations are not going to be affected in terms of income, these people have to be in the frontline and they have a lot of risk but they can keep their jobs," said Palomino. "On the other hand you have occupations that can work from home, managers... more likely qualified occupations. 

"Those occupations that have face-to-face work such as those that work in hospitality, sectors like waiting staff and tourism... those occupations are going to be more affected in terms of unemployment and therefore wage loss. As at happens those occupations tend to be in the lower part of the wage distribution and that's going to cause inequality to increase even in developed countries."