Long Covid more likely in working-age women than in men – study

Preliminary data presented to Sage shows women five times as likely to report new disability or increased fatigue

Working-age women who are hospitalised with coronavirus are five times as likely to develop long Covid as men in the same age group, according to research presented to the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).

Preliminary data shared with scientific advisers suggests that women under 50 are five times as likely as men under 50 to report a new disability, six times as likely to experience greater breathlessness, and twice as likely to feel more fatigued up to 11 months after leaving hospital.