The paper, which analysed the symptoms of long Covid in 12,276 adults who all had Covid at least six months earlier, found the risk was greatest in women aged 40–54, who had a 48% higher chance of developing long Covid compared to men. Women over 55 had a 34% higher risk of developing the condition, while for younger people (aged 18–39), the difference in risk disappeared between men and women.

Interestingly, as an essay in The Conversation points out, the results contrast with data we already have on Covid infection severity, which finds that men are more prone to developing severe symptoms and are more likely to die from the disease, making up around two out of three Covid deaths.

This confirms what we know about the differences in male and female immune systems. “Women typically have a stronger immune response than men, primarily due to the effects of hormones like oestrogen, genetic differences, and the presence of two X chromosomes,” explains Ian Budd, pharmacist and medical adviser for Chemist4U.

How women’s immune systems differ from men’s – and what that means for us