On Jun. 24, 2020, HHMI investigators reported that data from COVID-19 cases around the world suggest that the new coronavirus hits men harder than women. Differences in men and womenﾒs immune responses to the virus may help explain why.

When infected by the new coronavirus, women may mount a more potent adaptive immune response than do men, a new study suggests. By comparison, the male immune response appears to progress less effectively, fostering inflammation thatﾒs harmful to the body.