COVID Vaccine Rollout Sex Discrimination?
Discussion
It is well established that men are at more risk than women of being hospitalised or dying after having caught COVID. More men than women have died in the UK and globally. Men have approximately *3 times* the risk of ITU admission.
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/dec/men-significan...
More than 2/3 of ICU patients in the UK are male:
https://www.icnarc.org/Our-Audit/Audits/Cmp/Report...
The JCVI chose not to give men any priority in the vaccine roll-out despite acknowldging that they are at greater risk:
"The male-female differences in COVID-19 mortality are not straightforward, with likely interaction of age and sex along with other factors that have a sex differential: comorbidities, occupation, behavioural factors (including smoking and alcohol use), compliance with social distancing measures and shielding. The explanation for sex differences may reflect social and cultural factors related to gender rather than the biology of sex"
In other words, men are at greater risk but it's probably their fault.
In terms of the vaccine rollout itself, I can't find any data for vaccinations by sex for England. If anyone can find that please let me know. I can find the figures for Scotland and I assume that the general trends will be the same.
https://public.tableau.com/profile/phs.covid.19#!/...
48% of women have had their first vaccine. 37% of men.
So, in conclusion, despite having a massively higher risk of serious illness and death, men have not been prioritised for vaccines and, in fact, have received significantly fewer vaccines than women.
Thoughts?
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/dec/men-significan...
More than 2/3 of ICU patients in the UK are male:
https://www.icnarc.org/Our-Audit/Audits/Cmp/Report...
The JCVI chose not to give men any priority in the vaccine roll-out despite acknowldging that they are at greater risk:
"The male-female differences in COVID-19 mortality are not straightforward, with likely interaction of age and sex along with other factors that have a sex differential: comorbidities, occupation, behavioural factors (including smoking and alcohol use), compliance with social distancing measures and shielding. The explanation for sex differences may reflect social and cultural factors related to gender rather than the biology of sex"
In other words, men are at greater risk but it's probably their fault.
In terms of the vaccine rollout itself, I can't find any data for vaccinations by sex for England. If anyone can find that please let me know. I can find the figures for Scotland and I assume that the general trends will be the same.
https://public.tableau.com/profile/phs.covid.19#!/...
48% of women have had their first vaccine. 37% of men.
So, in conclusion, despite having a massively higher risk of serious illness and death, men have not been prioritised for vaccines and, in fact, have received significantly fewer vaccines than women.
Thoughts?
TwigtheWonderkid said:
How complex should the roll out be? They are doing it by age. And occupation to an extent, and some pre existing health conditions. If they add in sex and I guess they could ad in weight and ethnicity, it could get so complex that it hampers the whole programme.
Exactly.OP, don't worry about it unless you're male and yet to be vaccinated!
In our street we have plenty of elderly people, and i did notice similar here. Three women in their 80s in our street of only 19 houses, were called up the same day, first week for Pfizer mid Dec. Age range is 82 to 86, all pretty fit and healthy, two live alone.
Husband of the 82 yr old one is 86 and had prostrate cancer, (managed) got his just after New Year. Guy next door to them is 91, with heart condition, lives alone too and he got his mid Jan.
All of the early recipients, *the three ladies in our road hot both jabs on the 4 week second jab scheme) were women.
So anecdotally, the initial roll out did seem to be targeted towards women in our area.
Husband of the 82 yr old one is 86 and had prostrate cancer, (managed) got his just after New Year. Guy next door to them is 91, with heart condition, lives alone too and he got his mid Jan.
All of the early recipients, *the three ladies in our road hot both jabs on the 4 week second jab scheme) were women.
So anecdotally, the initial roll out did seem to be targeted towards women in our area.
I think the original post half answers the question and it’s the same reason that Black (in particular) and other ethnic minorities have not been prioritised. The reason is that much of the reason for increased ICU/death is the increased comorbidity elements that are more significant rather than necessarily sex/ethnicity. Any severe comorbidity has been taken into account with the rollout so this offsets much of the sex/ethnicity element.
In addition making it too complex will just open a whole new can of political worms. Age seems by far the highest risk factor so rolling out on that basis is simplest with least political fallout.
In addition making it too complex will just open a whole new can of political worms. Age seems by far the highest risk factor so rolling out on that basis is simplest with least political fallout.
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