Throughout this pandemic we've learned that no two cases of Covid are the same. While some people develop no symptoms, others find themselves hospitalised and severely ill.
While catching Covid-19 may be out of your control, your body's ability to fight the virus may be pre-determined by your sex.
Women have more robust immune systems when it comes to fending off infections. Reports from overseas show men often suffer from Covid more severely.
Virologist and professor at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Dr Sabra Klein told Seven Sharp the virus "absolutely" affects men and women differently.
"When it comes to severe outcomes, particularly during an acute infection, landing in the hospital, in the ICU and possibly even dying, men are significantly more likely than women.
"Women are significantly more likely to develop long-Covid... and women are also significantly more likely to have elevated immunity [after receiving] the Covid-19 vaccines compared to men.
"Men tend to have elevated inflammatory responses early during infection... excessive inflammation can damage our tissue and lead to worse outcomes and we think that's what is happening to men."
Klein also said social and behavioural differences between genders had an effect, as women were more likely to practice social distancing and wear masks.
Watch her full interview in the Seven Sharp video above.
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