<p>There is a gender gap in vaccination. Indian women are lagging men in getting the jab. At present, there is a 15% gap between the number of men and women who have got at least one dose of vaccination. Worryingly, this gap has widened in recent months. On April 10, there was a 2% disparity between vaccinated men and women. This rose to 12% on April 24 and 24% on May 6. The gender gap in vaccinations is highest in Jammu and Kashmir, followed by Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Kerala and Chhattisgarh deserve applause. Here, women have outperformed men in getting vaccinated. Karnataka has not done too badly. It has the fifth smallest gender gap in the country. There is scope for improvement, however. The gender gap in vaccinations cannot be attributed to the skewed sex ratio in the country. India has 5.7% more men than women in the population. Had the gender disparity in vaccinations been around 6%, we could have dismissed it as reflecting the country’s current gender statistics. Since the gender disparity in vaccination is far greater than 6%, there is reason for concern.</p>.<p>One reason for women lagging men in vaccination is the structural problem in healthcare: it is highly gendered and doesn’t favour women. Families are less likely to prioritise the health and welfare of women than men. There is the gender gap in digital access, too. Women are less likely to own a mobile phone or know how to register on the CoWin app. Then, there is the perception that since men go out to work, their health must be protected and prioritised over that of women. Especially in rural India, women, who don’t often travel long distances for paid work, are seen to not need the Covid-19 vaccine as much as men. Worse, rumours have been circulating that the vaccinations disrupt a woman’s menstruation cycle and reduce her fertility. Such false and unverified messages have added to the general vaccine hesitancy and deterred many women from taking the vaccine.</p>.<p>The government has woken up to the digital divide, albeit late, and has introduced walk-in vaccinations. Women will not require access to a smartphone or need to register on CoWin to get vaccinated. This should remove an important obstacle. Some experts have called for a door-to-door vaccination strategy, but this may not be a feasible option for now as those vaccinated need to be monitored for allergic and other reactions soon after vaccination. Instead, the government must step up its public campaign to fight myths and rumours about vaccination and promote it. ASHA workers, who are well connected to the community, should be roped in and incentivised to draw women into getting vaccinated.</p>
<p>There is a gender gap in vaccination. Indian women are lagging men in getting the jab. At present, there is a 15% gap between the number of men and women who have got at least one dose of vaccination. Worryingly, this gap has widened in recent months. On April 10, there was a 2% disparity between vaccinated men and women. This rose to 12% on April 24 and 24% on May 6. The gender gap in vaccinations is highest in Jammu and Kashmir, followed by Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Kerala and Chhattisgarh deserve applause. Here, women have outperformed men in getting vaccinated. Karnataka has not done too badly. It has the fifth smallest gender gap in the country. There is scope for improvement, however. The gender gap in vaccinations cannot be attributed to the skewed sex ratio in the country. India has 5.7% more men than women in the population. Had the gender disparity in vaccinations been around 6%, we could have dismissed it as reflecting the country’s current gender statistics. Since the gender disparity in vaccination is far greater than 6%, there is reason for concern.</p>.<p>One reason for women lagging men in vaccination is the structural problem in healthcare: it is highly gendered and doesn’t favour women. Families are less likely to prioritise the health and welfare of women than men. There is the gender gap in digital access, too. Women are less likely to own a mobile phone or know how to register on the CoWin app. Then, there is the perception that since men go out to work, their health must be protected and prioritised over that of women. Especially in rural India, women, who don’t often travel long distances for paid work, are seen to not need the Covid-19 vaccine as much as men. Worse, rumours have been circulating that the vaccinations disrupt a woman’s menstruation cycle and reduce her fertility. Such false and unverified messages have added to the general vaccine hesitancy and deterred many women from taking the vaccine.</p>.<p>The government has woken up to the digital divide, albeit late, and has introduced walk-in vaccinations. Women will not require access to a smartphone or need to register on CoWin to get vaccinated. This should remove an important obstacle. Some experts have called for a door-to-door vaccination strategy, but this may not be a feasible option for now as those vaccinated need to be monitored for allergic and other reactions soon after vaccination. Instead, the government must step up its public campaign to fight myths and rumours about vaccination and promote it. ASHA workers, who are well connected to the community, should be roped in and incentivised to draw women into getting vaccinated.</p>
