New Study Shows Men Spread COVID-19 More Easily and More Frequently Than Women and Children

A new study shows men spread COVID-19 particles more than other populations.

During a study on how the Coronavirus travels and is spread, researchers at Colorado State University found that the group of people who spread the disease the most frequently and more easily are not women, not children, but men.

The months-long study was set in place to determine how people in performing arts can go back to their in-person crafts safely. Some researchers also wanted to find out the connection between the spread of COVID-19 and performing arts, CBS News reports.

“COVID shut the performing arts down almost overnight,” said Dan Goble, director of CSU’s School of Music, Theater and Dance, CBS News reports. “It wasn’t just a CSU problem, this was a national problem. Think about all the public-school bands, choirs and orchestras.”

More than 75 people took part in the study. It was hosted in a chamber that was used for testing particles in the air. Each of the participants came from different age groups and had different expertise. During the study, participants were asked to sing a song over and over again; one of those was the “Happy Birthday” song.

“Singing definitely emits more particles than talking,” Volckens, a professor in the Department for Mechanical Engineering, told CBS. “Adults tend to emit more particles than children,” Volckens said. “The reason men tend to emit more particles is because we have bigger lungs.” He added that people who speak louder also spread particles more easily.

“The volume of your voice is an indicator of how much energy you’re putting into your voice box. That energy translates to more particles coming out of your body. These are particles that carry the COVID-19 virus and infect other people,” Volckens said.