The Virus Kills More Men Than Women But Women May Feel a Harsher Economic Impact

Men have been more likely to die from complications relating to the coronavirus. But a new report from Bloomberg shows that women are facing more dire economic consequences than men from the recession that has followed in the wake of the pandemic.

The unemployment rate for women, which had been below the rate for men, was 15.7 percent for women in April 2020, compared to 13.7 percent for men. This is because “women’s employment is concentrated in restaurants, retail, hospitality and health care. This was not the case in past recessions, which hurt male-dominated sectors like manufacturing and construction,” according to the report.

Many jobs with large percentages of male workers were deemed essential. These include truck drivers, emergency services, construction, auto repair, and many jobs in the food supply chain. As a result, these workers were allowed to continue working. And with schools and many daycare facilities closed, many women were forced to stay at home to care for their children. Those who were unable to work from home had to sacrifice all or part of their incomes in order to be at home for their families.