Women Beware: Your Risk Of Long COVID Is More Than Men, Say Experts

A new study conducted by researchers state that symptoms of long COVID could affect women more than men due to differences in their immune system.

Long COVID is a syndrome that only began after and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A considerable number of people who had contracted the COVID-19 virus reported that they were experiencing lingering symptoms of the viral like cough or body ache or fatigue, even after they tested negative. Experts then named this condition long COVID, symptoms that linger due to the COVID virus. Long COVID is a fairly new concept, and its underlying causes are still being researched by experts especially because the COVID-19 virus is constantly mutating into different variants. Previous studies did not mention any fact about long COVID affecting different people differently. But this new study Johnson & Johnson, Brunswick, NJ, states that there is a possibility that Long COVID affects women more than men. This has also been published in the journal Current Medical Research and Opinion.

Symptoms Differ In Men And Women

The symptoms experienced by women are significantly different than that of men. It is highly likely that women will experience slightly more severe symptoms than men. After conducting a survey, the study noted that women were experiencing a wide variety of symptoms like problems in the nose, throat and ear, neurological and gastrointestinal issues, mood changes, skin problems and rheumatologic disorders. More women also reported being extremely tired all the time.

Initially, it was stated that men might experience endocrine disorders like diabetes and kidney problems. But the odds of women developing long COVID syndrome were higher than men by almost 22 per cent, according to the researchers.

Also Read

More News

Immune System Plays A Role Here

The immune systems of men and women are very different, as stated by experts. Women are more vulnerable to some diseases than men and vice versa. The severity of the symptoms of long COVID also seems to depend on this factor. The study shows that women's immune system is very rapid and robust and, as a result, is able to fight against the initial stages of COVID infection. But due to this factor, women are more prone to auto immune diseases, which lasts for a long time. A similar theory applies to long COVID symptoms as well.