Men are more prone to contracting COVID-19
According to surveys, men are more prone to contract COVID-19 because they are usually not as concerned regarding the virus as women are.
“It’s possible that men are more at risk because they tend to expose themselves more to larger crowds and social exchanges, including things like handshaking and sporting events,” Berger said.
“There are men with invincibility syndrome that underpins a lot of behaviors, and they tend to be less compliant” with pandemic-related restrictions such as physical distancing, Giorgianni said.
Giorgianni suggests that COVID-19 prevention advertising should focus on the traditional male roles in our society, “not ignore millions of years of biology and natural selection.”
“Guys are very concerned for their families, so tell them don’t do it for yourself, do it for those who love you,” he said. “Even if they feel like they’re in good shape and can fight it off, they can still be a carrier can cause the death of their spouse or daughter or their dad.”
Moreover, men are also more exposed to harsher working conditions than women, so this can also be an important factor.
“In most cultures, men are more likely to be engaged in outdoor work, exposing them to conditions associated with extreme climate and pollution,” Berger said. “This could directly impact their response to an infection like COVID-19.”
Also, it’s more common for men to overlook symptoms and delay seeking professional help when needed. And don’t get me wrong, no one likes to go to the doctor’s office, but sometimes you have to, before is too late.
“Many men see self-care as an admission of weakness,” David Ezell, chief executive officer of Darien Wellness, a mental health group in Connecticut, told Healthline. “We are taught to be self-sufficient and there for everyone but ourselves. That results in ignoring telltale symptoms of not only COVID but any life-threatening condition.”
According to Deborah Birx, COVID-19 response coordinator for the Trump administration, the percentage of men testing positive for coronavirus is way higher than the percentage of females (56 percent in men, 44 percent in women).
“It gives you an idea about how men often don’t present in the healthcare delivery system until they have greater symptomatology,” Birx said. “This is to all of our men out there, no matter what age group: If you have symptoms, you should make sure that you are tested.”
Another important factor is smoking. In China, more than 50% percent of men smoke, compared to only 3% of women. A huge difference between the genders. Smoking affects the lungs, so this vicious habit can be deadly in combination with COVID-19.
“In China, for example, smoking is largely a male habit, resulting in many men suffering from chronic lung disease,” Berger said. “This puts men at a much greater disadvantage should they get COVID-19.”
“We see in general that there’s just a higher rate of severe disease among men,” explains Megan Coffee, an infectious disease clinician in New York City. “Women can certainly develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, but there’s a predilection towards men developing a severe outcome.”
