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Women, it seems, have been much more willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine than men, at least here in Lycoming County.
Of all of the people in Lycoming County who are fully vaccinated, 59 percent are women and 41 percent are men, according to the Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition.
Our first reaction to hearing the difference in vaccination rate between the genders was "why?"
But then, our second reaction is that this makes sense as women are more apt to have regular checkups with their family doctor than men.
Women, as caretakers and nurturers, have been shown to seek routine care earlier in life than men. The gender disparity in health care has been investigated by many entities, including Harvard and Rutgers.
Both universities linked it to traditional views on masculinity.
Men who hold traditional views are less likely to get consistent health care, the researchers found.
They noted a correlation between holding the belief that men should be strong, self-reliant and slow to show emotion with resisting routine physical examinations.
Plus, certain exams make men uncomfortable, and that may lead them to delay routine care, according to the researchers, who found that 40 percent of men do not go to the doctor at all unless they have a serious physical issue.
Women, on the other hand, try to head off illness and health issues in the family before they become life-threatening.
That said, we want to encourage the men of our communities to stop waiting and make the decision to get vaccinated.
We believe it's vital as we need our men to remain strong and healthy. We also believe it's important to strive for herd immunity and return our communities to the state of normalcy we remember from not that long ago -- as when businesses were hopping, youngsters filled classrooms and our calendars were loaded with social engagements.
While we encourage every person to seek vaccination, today we are looking to the men in particular.
Men traditionally have been the heroes who fought for the world we remember and yearn for again.
So be the heroes of this battle, men. Take the next bold step into the future. Get to work on releasing us from the prison of the past 15 months.
It's time to roll up your sleeves and show us the courage we know you have.
It's time to take a jab for healthy communities -- and for freedom.