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Policies and public health efforts have not addressed the gendered impacts of disease outbreaks.[1] The response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appears no different. Although sex-disaggregated data for COVID-19 show equal numbers of cases between men and women so far, there seem to be sex differences in mortality and vulnerability to the disease.[2] Emerging evidence suggests that more men than women are dying, potentially due to sex-based immunological[3] or gendered differences, such as patterns and prevalence of smoking.[4] However, current sex-disaggregated data are incomplete, cautioning against early assumptions. Experience from past outbreaks shows the importance of incorporating a gender analysis into preparedness and response efforts to improve the effectiveness of health interventions and promote gender and health equity goals. [Extracted from the article]

The authors comment on their study on the effect of civil-military cooperation during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa by conducting interviews with various people including health care workers, between February and September 2015. Topics cited include programs that worked and failed in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the role of the military during global health crises and the controversy of incorporating civil-military cooperation in health as a regular activity.