Because men get sick more seriously
Should women be ranked after the vaccination?
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The freelance writer and author Ralf Bönt pleads for women to be ranked after the vaccination against COVID-19 and to vaccinate men first because they become more seriously ill. What's behind it?
The vaccinations against the coronavirus in this country are running much more slowly than originally planned: Federal states complain about too few vaccine doses, the federal government is accused in many cases of failed orders. And the vaccination sequence is still being discussed. In line with this, the freelance writer and author Ralf Bönt has a guest contribution Time online published, in which he argues that men should be given priority and women should be ranked. The reason: Statistics show that men die more often from COVID-19 and are more prone to serious illnesses, where ventilation machines have to be used.
Is there a risk in being a man?
Those who have not yet been vaccinated are currently still encouraged to take preventive measures. These include the distance to other people, frequent hand washing, wearing a respirator and being careful with possible symptoms. According to a study by the specialist journal PNAS, that's all Points that women are more likely to heed than men – because they take the virus and its possible consequences more seriously. It is also assumed that men are more likely to have an unhealthy lifestyle than women, for example, eat poorer food, smoke more and consult doctors less often.
But these are all actually things that men could work on – which is why the question remains whether one should really include them in a risk group due to changeable factors. Among other things, biological reasons are mentioned here: For example, women have a higher dose of X chromosons and the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, which can strengthen the immune system and thus the natural defense against viruses. "However, women get sick just as often or even a little more often," explains Univ. Prof. Dr. Alexandra Kautzky-Willer, head of the gender medicine department at MedUni Vienna, opposite woman.at. In addition, one should not forget that women predominantly work in systemically relevant professions such as nursing and are therefore exposed to a correspondingly higher risk of infection.
Other risk factors are more important
It cannot be completely denied that men are biologically at a disadvantage, but there are other risk factors that should be classified as more important. In addition to age, this would include possible previous illnesses such as diabetes or COPD.
Kautzky-Willer also refers to Another risk group that should also be in focus: pregnant women. Initial studies have shown that pregnant women who are infected with COVID-19 have a greatly increased risk of a severe course, necessary intensive treatment and a higher mortality rate for mother and child. However, these women have so far been excluded from the vaccinations because the data are insufficient. There is some catching up to do here. Accordingly, according to the expert, one could turn the discussion around and talk about whether women who would like to have children should not also be given vaccinations.
Sources: zeit.de, woman.at