New York Post:
Women’s immune systems outperform those of men — an inherent advantage that lengthens their lives and improves their overall health, according to genetic researcher Sharon Moalem.
As the novel coronavirus cuts its relentless swath across the globe, doctors have identified one grim constant: COVID-19 has men, more than women, in its sights.
In Italy, men account for at least 70 percent of all coronavirus deaths. While South Korea has seen more confirmed COVID-19 cases in female patients than in males, a higher percentage of men have been felled by it. Here in New York City, more men than women are testing positive for coronavirus, with 55 percent of all cases. They also are dying of it at even higher rates. As of Friday, 1,159 men in the five boroughs had been killed by COVID-19 — 62 percent of the city’s 1,867 deaths.
The phenomenon has stumped medical experts. In their rush to make sense of the data, many are pointing fingers at men and their behavior. Some speculate that higher male smoking rates leave them vulnerable to the respiratory infection. Others guess that men are blowing off social-distancing guidelines, or are neglecting to wash their hands.
“I find that so offensive,” genetic researcher Sharon Moalem, MD, told The Post. “Talk about blaming the victim.”
Read more at The New York Post
