• It is a constancy that has lasted since the very beginning of the vaccination campaign in France: more women than men are vaccinated.

  • Of the 20 million first-time injectors (people who have received at least one dose of vaccine), 56% are women.

  • How to explain such a gap?

On December 27, 2020, France began its vaccination campaign with 17 people receiving a first dose of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine: 10 women and 7 men.

Months and 20 million more first-injected people later, the gender gap is roughly still the same.

56% of people who have received at least one dose of vaccine in France are women, compared to 44% men.

How to explain such a gap between the genders? 

20 Minutes

takes stock.

Are women more at risk than men?

Men represent 58% of coronavirus deaths in France, and women 42%. In February, the National Medicines and Health Products Safety Agency published a large study on the risk factors of Covid-19 patients in France. Compared with a woman, a man has a 1.4 times more chance of hospitalization risk and 2.1 times more risk of death. Women are therefore not more at risk, but on the contrary less likely to contract serious forms or die than men.

The explanation for this vaccine overrepresentation is therefore not to be found in this direction.

Would women then simply be more in favor of vaccination?

Well there too, it looks like a false trail.

In February 2021, an Odoxa poll indicated that 68% of men wanted to be vaccinated, compared to only 54% of women.

Of course, the gap is narrowing over time.

In December 2020, the same poll showed that 54% of men were in favor of vaccination, compared to 31% of women.

Are women overrepresented in open categories of immunization?

For the moment, and while waiting for June 15, vaccination is not open to all adults, but only to certain categories of populations. However, “in France, women live longer than men and are therefore in the majority in the highest age categories. The over-vaccination of women therefore perhaps simply comes from an eligible overpopulation, ”notes immuno-oncology researcher Eric Billy.

Take the first two sections of the population open to vaccination, nursing homes, from December 27, 2020, and those over 75, from January 18.

Women represent 75% of nursing home residents and 60.9% of those over 75 in France.

If we extend to all people over 50 in France, the only ones open to vaccination (excluding comorbidity and health professions) for the moment, women represent 54.2% of these people, according to the data. of INSEE.

A percentage close to the gap between male and female vaccinations.

As for care professions (for which vaccination has been possible since February), there is also a huge over-representation, with 70% of women in the medical and paramedical professions.

Will the gap be compensated with the opening of vaccination to all?

The gap between vaccinated men and women has never really changed since December 27.

But the situation could finally change with the opening of vaccination to all on June 15.

Men become the majority in the population among those under 25 (and are almost balanced with women between 25 and 50).

Of the entire French adult population, there are thus 51.7% of women against 48.3% of men.

How to reduce this gap?

Everything leaves him to think.

First, because as we have seen, men seem to be more in favor of vaccination than women.

Then, "if we consider that the gap between men and women is due to a population bias, there is no reason that this should not resolve itself as soon as the eligible population becomes more masculine. », Recalls Eric Billy.

And this is fortunate, because to achieve collective immunity - about 80% of the adult population vaccinated to deal with variants - will require the support of men, and young men.

"The population under 35 is essential for vaccination if we want to fight against possible epidemic rebounds," supports the researcher in immuno-oncology.

It is the population with the most contacts, the highest incidence rate, and the one likely to transmit the virus to new people other than the family circle or close friends.

"

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