Women turning out more than men for COVID-19 vaccines

Women across the country are turning out more than men to get their COVID-19 vaccine, suggesting women are overcoming any potential hesitancy surrounding immunization in greater numbers than men.

Data from the CDC shows that more than 65 million American women, or 54.3 percent, have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Women make up 50.8 percent of the U.S. population. In the meantime, almost 55 million men, or 45.7 percent, have received at least one dose.

The trend is relatively consistent across states, as last week, Kaiser Health News reported that the 38 states, and Washington, D.C., that break down vaccinations by gender all showed that more women received the shot than men.

Why: Experts attributed the higher turnout to various factors, including women’s traditional role as caretakers in the family, increased concerns about COVID-19 compared to men and research showing women were “more adversely affected” by the pandemic overall.

The data implies that women are surmounting any concerns about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, even as women are more likely to report minor side effects as well as the incredibly rare major side effects, such as the cases of blood clots that halted the Johnson & Johnson vaccinations.