Coronavirus: Women are stronger than men
Geneticists who specialise in studying the immune response difference between the sexes believe that women have protective powers against superbugs and infections.
At a time when the world has turned upside down for most of us and we have all learned how to pronounce the word “epidemiological” correctly, some surprising facts related to Covid-19 are emerging. Among the gloomy daily figures of infection rates and deaths, it’s becoming apparent that fewer women are dying from the virus than men. That men are the weaker sex will come as no surprise to women, but will be a huge shock to the macho-male. So why is it happening?
To get a sense of numbers, consider some recently published data from the Global Health 50:50 Gender Equality Initiative based at University College London. They have concluded that to date in all 12 countries which have broken down their data by gender, the majority of those who have died from coronavirus are male. For example, in China, where the virus moved from bats to humans, women made up 49% of confirmed cases and men 51%, but almost two thirds of those who died were male. In Italy, men made up 58% of confirmed cases and 71% of deaths. In Denmark, the figures are almost identical to Italy, 60% and 71%. In Germany the figures are 55% and 66%. In Spain men made up 51% of confirmed cases and 65% of deaths, with similar figures in the Netherlands. In Switzerland, France, Portugal and South Korea, men made up a minority of confirmed cases, but still a large majority of deaths. Portugal shows the biggest gender gap, with twice as many men dying as women.
There are several possible reasons for this difference, among which are lifestyle and biology. Take a look at the records available to date and you will see that many of those who have died had existing health issues, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease, all of which by and large have affected men more than women. Worldwide, men on average tend to indulge in more risky lifestyles than women, such as smoking and drinking. It’s well known that smoking damages the lungs, often leading to lung cancer, so it’s not surprising that the lungattacking coronavirus will cause more deaths among smokers. In China, for instance, about 50% of men smoke compared with only 2% of women, resulting in the greater number of male deaths.
A more mundane lifestyle reason why men are more likely to die from coronavirus is due to different sanitary perceptions. Studies have shown that men wash their hands less frequently than women. For many women, daily work is around the house and looking after children, so they are always having to wash their hands. Many feminists believe that men are naturally resistant to soap and water, but then the average male is usually away from home at work all day, frequently with limited hand washing facilities. One of the great lessons of selfpreservation against the coronavirus is the importance of hand washing.
Lifestyle difference alone, however, cannot explain the preponderance of male deaths, as in many developed countries men and women lead similar lives. Yet in these countries more women are surviving coronavirus. Here, biology can shine some light.
Geneticists who specialise in studying the immune response difference between the sexes believe that women have protective powers against superbugs and infections. It’s known that women react more aggressively to vaccines and infections, so that women’s bodies fight harder when attacked by a virus. Part reason for this is that women have two “x” chromosomes, and a number of the immune genes are located on these. It’s particularly relevant that the gene which encodes the protein that senses the coronavirus is actually on the “x” chromosome. This means that the response females make to coronavirus is generally much stronger than the one made by males. Testosterone is also known to be immunosuppressive, and past studies show that men who have a higher testosterone level usually have a lesser response to the flu vaccine. This will also be true against coronavirus. By contrast, women have a much smaller level of testosterone and are therefore less immunosuppressive, giving them greater protection.
So why have women developed this way? Some experts believe that the reason is all to do with evolution. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, while men keep on producing sperm. As women have a finite number of eggs, it’s important for them to “selfpreserve” to give them the best chance of reproduction. This self-sense of preciousness and survival could be the reason why women may not suffer from coronavirus at all!
The British playwright and poet, William Golding, once wrote: “I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men. They are far superior, and always have been.” The coronavirus is proving they are biologically stronger, too. which is considered normal for this time of the year, before the lockdown was implemented on 25 March. The SLDC data of daily power consumption for Mumbai also shows a sharp drop by over 50% since the country has been put under lockdown. Typically at this period of time the power demand and consumption in Mumbai remains around 2,800 MW to 3,000 MW, but this year during the same period between 25 March and 31 March, the power demand and consumption in Mumbai remained between 1,700 MW and 1,800 MW per day.
SLDC officials say that this drastic drop in daily power demand and consumption from both these mega cities is because of the lockdown as most commercial establishments and factories have been shut. Factories and commercial establishments consume almost half the power demands of these mega cities.
With more than 80% of vehicular movement being stopped across the country due to the nationwide lockdown, a sharp drop in fuel consumption is being witnessed not only in Delhi and Mumbai, but from all across the country.
In a media interaction late last month, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, M.K. Surana said that there was about a 45% dip in petrol sales, while a 40% drop was being witnessed in diesel sales.
He further said that the sale of petrol and diesel would dip further because of the lockdown. “The exact figure on how much dip in sales happened would be collated once we have the figures from all the lockdown days,” Surana said.
Several petrol pumps in Delhi and Mumbai have reported a sharp drop in sales.
A petrol pump manager in Central Delhi told The Sunday Guardian, “There is hardly any customer. We are barely filling 100 odd cars in a day and that too these are vehicles carrying essential goods or doctorsorpeopleinvolvedinessentialservices. We are not selling petrol even to customers who are coming to us and are not involved in essential services.”
Oil companies have reported around a 90% stoppage of Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) sales as all airlines have been grounded in India and only cargo or relief airlines are being allowed to fly in India. International flights were banned even earlier.
In India, petrol and diesel consumption is in the range of 8-9 million tonnes per month. February this year saw petrol and diesel consumption up to 9 million tonnes.
Industry insiders say that India’s petroleum import could see a drop marginally owing to the drop in demand. India had imported 207 million tonnes of crude oil in the last one year (April 2019-February 2020) costing an import bill of over Rs 673,00 crore, according to the Petroleum
Planning and Analysis cell data.
With factories shut, airplanes grounded and vehicles off the road, one positive thing that has emerged during the lockdown is the clean air and a major drop in the pollution levels in Delhi and Mumbai.
Delhi, which was gasping for fresh air until January and February this year, has been witnessing clear blue skies and fresh air. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi for the past one week has remained in the range of 50-60, which is almost 4 to 5 times lower than what it was just a couple of weeks back.
The average AQI level in Delhi for February had been more than 200-250, which is hazardous, while in January and December, the AQI was between 250 and 300, which is dangerous.
While comparing the current AQI levels in Delhi with that of last year during the same period, it is seen that during March 2019 to the first week April 2019, the AQI levels in Delhi were almost four times higher than what they are currently.
Even Mumbai is witnessing clear blue skies and fresh air. The average AQI levels in Mumbai for the last one week remained at just 27-35, while in January and February this year, Mumbai had experienced an AQI level of around 130-150, while industrial areas and outskirts of Mumbai witnessed an average AQI level of 250.