What we know about Long COVID and why women are particularly affected
Seventeen percent of American adults who have contracted COVID-19 experience lingering effects, referred to as “Long COVID.” Recent studies illustrate that women are more likely to suffer from these persistent symptoms when compared to men. The reasons behind the disproportionately high prevalence in women remain unknown, but experts are developing theories and conducting research to uncover the facts.
Dr. Sabra Klein, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University, asserts that women generally launch stronger immune responses to such viruses, which may be a contributing factor to the prolonged presence of COVID in their systems. The number of individuals succumbing to Long COVID is staggering, as studies released by both the Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate.
At the Stony Brook Medicine Post-COVID Clinic in Lake Grove, the vast majority of patients are female. Dr. Sritha Rajupet, the center’s medical director, said over twice as many female patients compared to male patients experience long-term symptoms, highlighting gender disparities in Long COVID. The clinic reports that clinic women commonly suffer from fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and psychological changes such as anxiety and depression.
Experts are considering the similarities between Long COVID and immune-related diseases, particularly the fact that autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis, which are more prevalent in women than in men, share symptoms with Long COVID. Dr. Klein supports the hypothesis that long COVID may arise from the immune system attacking healthy body tissue. Moreover, it’s suspected that women’s hormonal fluctuations play a role in the duration and degree of their lingering COVID symptoms, but more studies are needed for support.
Two women who have been coping with the long-term effects of COVID-19 describe multiple battles they’ve faced. Andrea Maione, diagnosed with COVID-19 on three separate occasions, noticed a decline in her condition after the virus robbed her of her ability to taste food. Furthermore, Elizabeth Medina, a school guidance counselor, deals with severe fatigue and frequent pain and numbness, impacted by COVID due to pre-existing food allergies. Both women express dwindling hope and continue to navigate life with prolonged COVID symptoms.
