Dear readers,
It’s time for my thoughts from the island.
I read Luke Taylor’s recent article about the first major research study into women’s health following COVID-19 (New Scientist, September 9, 2025), with great interest. The study of more than 2300 women over 50, across 16 countries, highlighted something both striking and unsettling: women who had COVID-19 were left with stiffer arteries, with the severity of infection directly linked to the degree of vascular ageing.
As reported, women hospitalised with COVID had arteries that appeared five years “older” than their uninfected peers, rising to 7.5 years among those admitted to intensive care. When I read this statement, I was shocked. This is serious!
Astonishingly, these effects were not seen in men. This suggests that COVID-19 has a uniquely sex-specific impact on cardiovascular health, potentially linked to women’s stronger immune responses and their greater difficulty in “dialling down” inflammation after infection.
These findings matter profoundly. Cardiovascular disease is already the leading cause of death in women worldwide. If COVID accelerates vascular ageing in women — especially those over 50, who are also navigating the vascular changes of menopause — the long-term consequences could be serious. Early screening for arterial stiffness and proactive cardiovascular monitoring should be considered for women who have had severe infections.
This research also resonated deeply with me personally. I contracted COVID-19 in April 2020 while working on a hospital ward. The viral load was heavy, and I was ill for nearly seven weeks. Though it feels both like yesterday and a lifetime ago, reading these first results is sobering. It suggests that the pandemic has left behind not only memories and scars, but possibly accelerated cardiovascular risks for women like me. I currently teach clinical English to four doctors from Germany, and I shared this article with them in the hope that they will keep an eye on their over-50 female patients when they treat them (for cardiovascular symptoms). The doctors seemed very interested in the research, which is a great sign.
It is easy to dismiss women’s post-COVID health concerns as “just menopause” or “just anxiety”. Studies like this remind us that the reality is far more complex, and that women’s health deserves serious, tailored attention in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Sometimes, as Tammy Wynette sang, “it’s hard to be a woman” — but it’s also beautiful. Recognising these challenges and responding with science and compassion is part of that beauty.
Best wishes,
Sabine
