The current evidence for a male predisposition toward increased risk of severe disease from SARS-CoV-2 infection is consistent across age groups and cultural demographics. Smoking was examined as a possible risk factor based on early studies on COVID-19 epidemiology out of China, where the noticable sex difference in disease severity was paired with a national difference in smoking rates between males and females. Approximately 50% of Chinese men smoke compared to ~2% of women according to the WHO, and this was posited as a potential explanation for the male predisposition to COVID-19 (1). …
Are there sex differences in COVID-19 epidemiology?
As the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the world, global health organizations have begun to identify patterns of uniquely susceptible populations. When discussing the epidemiology of this virus, it is important to distinguish between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of the COVID-19 disease. Approximately 50% of people who become infected with the virus do not develop any disease symptoms and may not know they have been infected, although they are still contagious and able to infect others for a period of approximately two weeks following their exposure. The distinction …