COVID-19 and the gender imperative

A new (novel) coronavirus was identified in China causing severe respiratory disease, including pneumonia. The World Health Organization named the virus responsible as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes COVID-19. COVID-19 is bringing to the fore many inequities in health, which includes men's experiences. It has been acknowledged that COVID-19 discriminates by age and by underlying health conditions (Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2020a).

In 2003, men were also disproportionately affected during the SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreaks, both caused by coronaviruses. In Hong Kong, more women than men were infected by SARS, but the death rate among men was 50% higher (Leung et al, 2014). With regards to respiratory tract infections generally, men can have worse outcomes. Data from the ONS (2020b) reveal that in each age group there have been more deaths involving COVID-19 in males than in females. In the week ending 10 April the largest difference was in the age group 75–84 years: there were 2346 deaths involving COVID-19 in males versus 1315 in females. This gender difference has been noted globally.