…because of risky behaviour, neglect of their health

MANAGER of the Men Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Social Protection, Adel Lilly, has attributed the surge of COVID-19 infections among men to the way men are socialised.
During a telephone interview, the manager told the Guyana Chronicle that he believes a lot of men see themselves as being immune to sickness; hence, they do not believe that they can contract the coronavirus. Additionally, he contended that many men see themselves as risk-takers and they associate risk-taking with masculinity. The great risk-takers, he said, are men between ages 20-29
Most recently, men have been exposed to the virus and there have been more men who have contracted COVID-19 than women.

The manager believes that for a man to go to a medical institution to disclose his sickness is to appear weak; this, he noted, could be the reason for the spike in cases among men.
“It is more cultural in nature which [sic] men do not go to medical institutions for a checkup, “Lilly told the Chronicle. Further, he noted that many men share populous work environments and that they are less likely to take care of themselves than women.
He also noted that men are more likely to resort to alcoholic beverages to ease their minds, and are therefore more than likely to break the curfew measures that have been put in place by public health officials.

Lilly advised that men take better care of their health
“Nothing is wrong with seeking help and think of your family; even if your immune system is strong to withstand the virus such as COVID-19, you must think of your family members who might [not] be as strong as you are and can be more susceptible to contracting the virus,” Lilly contended.

Finally, he pointed that alcohol and tobacco can be contributing factors to the deterioration of health, especially in men, and this is definitely a factor to consider with regard to one’s health.