‘Marginalized’: Women trail men in some vaccine efforts

By MARIA CHENG
AP Medical Writer

LONDON (AP) — As coronavirus vaccines trickle into some of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, data suggest some women are consistently missing out, in another illustration of how the doses are being unevenly distributed around the world. Experts fear women in Africa may be the least vaccinated population globally, thanks in large part to widespread misinformation and vaccine skepticism. But vaccine access issues and gender inequality reach far beyond Africa, with women in impoverished communities worldwide facing obstacles including cultural prejudices, lack of technology, and vaccine prioritization lists that didn’t include them. While global data by gender in vaccine distribution is lacking, officials agree women are clearly being left behind in many places.