A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that in the first 13.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses given to Americans, reports of side effects were coming at a higher rate from females. – By Sharon Maina.
79 percent of side effects reported came from women, although only 61 percent of the vaccines were given to women.
Simply put, women in general have a stronger response to vaccines because their bodies are quicker and stronger when it comes to activating what the vaccine introduces in the body.
“There’s actually a lot of science behind this. Infectious diseases in general are always about the immune response and not the bug,” said Dr. Larry Schlesinger, president and chief executive officer of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio.
In the past, a stronger response in females has been seen and studied in vaccines for yellow fever, DPT, influenza, and other illnesses.
Julianne Gee, MPH, a lead author of the study and a medical officer in the CDC’s Immunization Safety Office, said that the study, should not chase anyone away from the vaccine.
“COVID-19 disease can cause serious complications and even death, and vaccination is an important prevention tool to prevent disease and complications,” she said. “COVID-19 vaccines will help society return to normal.”
