The coronavirus that apparently originated from Wuhan, China is wreaking havoc in all nooks of the world. This pandemic can infect people irrespective of their age, but older men are more likely to become severely sick and die due to the coronavirus infection.
Coronavirus Hits Men Harder
During the study, researchers looked at the immune response of both men and women and found that men produce a weaker immune response to the virus when compared to women.
The study report suggested that men, especially above the age of 60 should depend more on vaccines to protect against coronavirus infection. According to researchers who took part in the study, natural infection is clearly failing to trigger adequate immune responses in men.
Researchers revealed that women mount faster and stronger immune response when compared to men, and it might be because their bodies are being made to fight pathogens that threaten an unborn child inside a mother's womb.
However, this greater immune response is also associated with some risks. Autoimmune diseases characterized by the immune system that overreacts are more prevalent among women.
"We are looking at two sides of the same coin. You could imagine scenarios where a single shot of a vaccine might be sufficient in young individuals or maybe young women, while older men might need to have three shots of vaccine," said Dr Marcus Altfeld, an immunologist at the Heinrich Pette Institute and at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, New York Times reports.
The Testosterone Connection
A few weeks back, Daniel Kelly, a lecturer in biochemistry at the Sheffield Hallam University had suggested that testosterone is playing a crucial role in elevating the risk of coronavirus infection among men.
According to Kelly, increased levels of testosterone in the human body could negatively affect the immune system of a person, and it makes men more vulnerable to COVID-19.
