Men who test positive for Covid-19 are more at risk of death compared to women according to new research.
Men are at least 25 per cent more likely to die after testing positive for the virus analysis by the Society of Actuaries in Ireland has found.
According to The Irish Times, men in some ages groups are 50 per cent more likely to die from Covid compared to women.
The research suggests the differing outcomes between men and women was most evident during the third wave of the virus at the start of 2021.
The society says there may be different reasons behind the disparity, including higher incidence of co-morbidities such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes among men, as well as better immune response among women.
"While reasonable, these are conjecture," the statement adds.
According to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) from the first three months of the year, fatality rates among women were lower than men, with 1.29 per cent of Covid-19 cases in women resulting in death compared to 1.62 per cent in men.
The HSE has also issued new risk-assessment guidelines for healthcare workers stating the virus poses the same level of risk to pregnant women as it does to a 70-year-old person.
The risk for a vaccinated pregnant healthcare worker is said to drop to that of a person aged 60-70, and while the research shows pregnant women are at no greater risk of catching the virus, they may be at higher risk of developing severe illness.
The new guidelines add that due to the risks, including the increased risk of Covid placentitis which leads to stillbirths, all pregnant healthcare workers should be referred to occupational health before the end of their first trimester.
The risk-assessment also states pregnant healthcare workers after 14 weeks' gestation must not be considered for very high/high-risk workplaces as they should not work with known or suspected Covid patients.
