THURSDAY 5 MARCH 2020We can’t inoculate against
sexism in the vaccine race
Men and women can react differently to vaccines (Alexander Pogozhev/TASS)
IAN HAMILTON
There is one prediction about coronavirus that can be made with confidence: when a
vaccine is developed there won’t be a male and female version. Evidence suggests
we need two, as we’ve known for some time that there is a sex-specific response to
vaccines. Women have more severe adverse reactions and develop higher antibody
responses. Without a male and female version of the vaccine, women will be given
suboptimal treatment, potentially paying with their lives.