More

    Strongmen Versus Strong Women – How Differently Did They Handled COVID-19?

    HealthCOVID-19Strongmen Versus Strong Women – How Differently Did They...
    - Advertisment -

    Strongmen Versus Strong Women – How Differently Did They Handled COVID-19?

    A new research study offers an analysis of the pandemic response of 91 nations between January and December 2020 and has determined that certain country characteristics shaped COVID-19 outcomes.

    Remember the COVID-19 fiascos across the globe? Whether it is Donald Trump’s anti-vaccine tirade; or the runaway infections in Xi’s China or Recep Erdogan’s Turkey; or the handling of COVID-19 by the Narendra Modi administration or Boris Johnson’s disregard for COVID rules – the world seems in a hurry to forget how strongmen handled COVID-19.

    Likewise, the world also seems to be in a hurry to forget how strong women leaders handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

    But now, a research published on Thursday as an open access journal on Nature Portfolio’s Scientific Reports says that countries with female leaders recorded 40 per cent fewer COVID-19 deaths than nations governed by men

    - Advertisement -

    According to this paper published by researchers at the University of Queensland, the difference was stark – strong women leaders outperformed strongmen by miles.

    Associate Professor Kelvin Tan from University of Queensland’s Business School says the statistic is a key finding of a study into the impacts different country characteristics, such as leadership, have had on COVID-19 infection and death rates.

    “Countries where women were at the head of government outperformed countries with male leadership, with an average 39.9 per cent fewer confirmed COVID-19 deaths,” Dr Tan said.

    “This figure can be attributed to female leaders taking quick and decisive action, a broader view of the wider impact on society and being more receptive to innovative thinking.

    “We found female leaders tend to act promptly and decisively and are more risk-averse towards the loss of human life, which play an essential role in pandemic prevention and outcomes,” he said.

    Importance of prevention

    The study analysed the pandemic response of 91 nations between January and December 2020 and determined that certain country characteristics shaped COVID-19 outcomes.

    Dr Tan said many countries adopted similar approaches to contain the spread of COVID-19, but there were drastic differences in morbidity and mortality, even among those with similar socio-economic conditions and political backgrounds like Australia and New Zealand.

    “As of 31 December 2020, although the population of Australia was only 5 times that of NZ, Australia had reported around 13 times more infections and 36 times the number of deaths than the numbers reported by New Zealand,” he said.

    The study found gender ratio, population density, urbanisation and political corruption all intensified the severity of a country’s pandemic experience.

    Conversely, female leadership, education, religious diversity and public trust in government were found to reduce rates of infection and death.

    “We’ve identified a set of predetermined, country-specific characteristics that have significantly influenced the outcomes of the pandemic and we hope policymakers use them to manage risk during future health emergencies,” Dr Tan said.

    “Our findings highlight the importance of prevention, rather than treatment, in reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.”

    The work of Jacinda Ardern or Angela Merkel or Finland’s Sanna Marin is rarely spoken of.

    - Advertisement -

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Latest news

    Toxic Air Threatens Children’s Lives Across East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF Warns

    Nearly half of PM2.5 pollution in the worst-affected countries comes from the burning of fossil fuels, biomass, and agricultural waste – also major contributors to climate change. As extreme weather events worsen due to climate change, air pollution is expected to become an even greater threat, UNICEF warned.

    Imperialism (Still) Rules

    The 1910s and 1920s debates between the Second and Third Internationals of Social Democrats and allied movements in Europe and beyond involved contrasting positions on WW1 and imperialism.

    World-Class Education Key to Making India a Developed Nation by 2047: NITI Aayog

    The report is based on extensive discussions with state government officials from over 20 states and union territories, vice-chancellors and senior academics from 50 SPUs, and chairpersons of several state higher education councils.

    Google’s Willingness to Develop AI for Weapons Raises Concerns: Human Rights Watch

    Google’s revised Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy signals a worrying shift in the company’s stance on the development of AI for military applications, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned.
    - Advertisement -

    In the Lok Sabha: Government Committed to Addressing Climate Change, Says Minister

    The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched several schemes targeting pollution control, afforestation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management.

    Closing in on an End to Plastic Pollution

    We need to think innovatively regarding chemicals of concern, taking inspiration from existing agreements that protect us from harmful chemicals.

    Must read

    Toxic Air Threatens Children’s Lives Across East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF Warns

    Nearly half of PM2.5 pollution in the worst-affected countries comes from the burning of fossil fuels, biomass, and agricultural waste – also major contributors to climate change. As extreme weather events worsen due to climate change, air pollution is expected to become an even greater threat, UNICEF warned.

    Imperialism (Still) Rules

    The 1910s and 1920s debates between the Second and Third Internationals of Social Democrats and allied movements in Europe and beyond involved contrasting positions on WW1 and imperialism.
    - Advertisement -

    More from the sectionRELATED
    Recommended to you