Are Men More Prone To Coronavirus? Dr. Mallika Marshall Answers Your Questions
BOSTON (CBS) — As Massachusetts continues to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the public has plenty of questions. Dr. Mallika Marshall answered some of those sent to her email (drmallika@cbs.com) and Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Is there any data on the number of people who got sick (or died) from COVID-19 and those who got flu shots? - Richard
I'm not sure if you're referring to some chatter on social media that getting the flu shot might make you more susceptible to getting the coronavirus. Infectious disease experts say that is not true. The flu shot will neither increase your risk of getting coronavirus nor will it protect you from getting it. Though this fall, it's going to be essential for everyone to get vaccinated against the flu, not just to protect you from the flu, but also to keep hospitals from becoming overwhelmed with flu cases at the same time we're seeing a second wave of COVID-19 cases.
I've heard that hormones play a role in people who get sick with COVID-19. Are men more prone to the disease? And how might hormones factor into treatment? - WBZ-TV viewer
It is true that men seem to be more likely to develop severe COVID-19 symptoms than women. One theory is that sex hormones, like estrogen, may provide more protection in females. Another theory is that because the X chromosome has more immune-related genes and because women have two X chromosomes whereas men only have one, women may develop a bigger immune response to fend off the virus. And some scientists are studying whether giving estrogen and progesterone to people with COVID-19 might help their recovery.
How about those of us who wear glasses. How do we wear a mask without fogging up our glasses? - WBZ-TV viewer
I wear glasses, too, especially when I work in the clinic and it's a real nuisance. One way is to get a good seal along the nasal bridge, ideally with a mask that has a little piece of metal that you can bend along the nose. Another suggestion is to wash your glasses with gentle soap and water. That reduces the surface tension and prevents them from fogging up.
I'm concerned that people will think that they can get close to me because they are wearing a mask. They sneeze or cough way too close to me. Are masks really that reliable? - Barbara
They're not perfect. They will capture some but not all of the droplets if someone coughs or sneezes. That's why keeping at least 6 feet apart, or even farther, is still very important. Don't think just because you're wearing a mask that you can get safely sidle up to people without posing a risk.
