When UK’s Boris Johnson first announced that he had been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, the notion that the virus does not discriminate became clear for many.
However, one variable that is yielding significant difference is that of gender. In the case of the United States, men account for two-thirds of the overall death toll. The same phenomenon is visible across all countries from Europe to China.
Immunologists and other researchers are testing different hypotheses to explain this interesting difference.
Although there is no scientific consensus as of now, one interesting theory is that women may have a genetic advantage over men. In particular, experts believe that the additional X chromosome women have may hold the keys to the secret.
Professor Phillip Goulder from the University of Oxford is one expert who is studying the effects of chromosomes. According to Goulder, proteins that detect viruses are encoded within the X chromosome. This means that the female immunity system is better equipped to protect the body.
A more social approach looks into the differences in lifestyle between the two genders. For example, more than half of Chinese men are smokers whereas only 5% of Chinese women said they smoked cigarettes.
With all the damage that cigarettes are known to cause to the respiratory system, this may explain the gender differences in China. However, it is not as satisfying an explanation for places like Europe where smoking is common in both genders.
Financially, the pandemic is revealing the difference of economic stability between men and women. Although unemployment and recession is a potential threat for both genders, women seem to be affected more severely. For instance, in the US, more women lost jobs in March than did men.
Typically, more men lose jobs in times of recessions. The difference this time is caused by the so-called ‘essential’ status. Whereas a quarter of all employed men are “critical workers”, only 17% of working women hold these essential jobs.
The global pandemic has been revealing the degree of different inequalities around the world. For instance, a majority of the patients in the US are of racial minority, especially African Americans. It seems that although the virus puts everyone at risk, the level of said risk is different for everyone.
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