Sex-disaggregated data is reported by Public Health England
Authors: John N Newton, Clare Griffiths, Justine Fitzpatrick, Theresa Lamagni, Ines Campos-Matos
Journal: The Lancet Global Health (2021)

We agree with Sarah Hawkes and colleagues (June, 2021)1Hawkes S Tanaka S Pantazis A et al.Recorded but not revealed: exploring the relationship between sex and gender, country income level, and COVID-19.Lancet Glob Health. 2021; 9: e751-e752Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar who state that reporting COVID-19 outcomes by sex is an important component of global pandemic surveillance and monitoring of inequalities, and we congratulate them on establishing the COVID-19 sex-disaggregated data tracker. In June, 2020, a comprehensive Public Health England report showed that sex was a risk factor for COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation (including critical care and lower level of care), death, and excess mortality.2Public Health EnglandDisparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-review-of-disparities-in-risks-and-outcomesDate: 2020Date accessed: April 18, 2021Google Scholar In an article published in 2021, we confirmed that male sex was a risk factor for poorer outcomes from COVID-19 and considered the implications for vaccination prioritisation.3Campos-Matos I Mandal S Yates J Ramsay M Wilson J Lim WS Maximising benefit, reducing inequalities and ensuring deliverability: Prioritisation of COVID-19 vaccination in the UK.Lancet Regional Health—Europe. 2021; 2100021Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (10) Google Scholar Public Health England has been tracking multiple dimensions of inequality in relation to the pandemic in England through its established reporting infrastructure. Data for England disaggregated by sex and age are published weekly for confirmed cases, deaths in confirmed cases, test positivity, and vaccination uptake.4Public Health EnglandNational flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reportsDate: 2021Date accessed: April 18, 2021Google Scholar Public Health England separately publishes sex-specific estimates of excess mortality by age group and by ethnicity, which are also updated each week.5Public Health EnglandExcess mortality in England: weekly reports.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england-weekly-reportsDate: 2021Google Scholar Sex-specific cumulative counts and rates of COVID-19 cases by age for England are also reported daily on the UK Government's coronavirus dashboard. It would be challenging to disaggregate all the data on the daily dashboard by sex due to its size and complexity. However, we regularly carry out user feedback surveys and would consider adding more sex specific data if requested. Given the above, we do not agree with Hawkes and colleagues1Hawkes S Tanaka S Pantazis A et al.Recorded but not revealed: exploring the relationship between sex and gender, country income level, and COVID-19.Lancet Glob Health. 2021; 9: e751-e752Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar that there is an absence of consistent and comprehensive sex-disaggregated data on COVID-19 for England or that England does not appear to consistently report sex-disaggregated data (particularly for deaths). The conclusion is even more surprising since data we report are already being used to populate their data tracker. A poorly informed email from a technical helpline about the Government's daily dashboard is quoted as evidence that Public Health England is unaware of the difference in risk by sex. The anonymous email was clearly incorrect, for which we apologise. It was also manifestly inconsistent with Public Health England's published report on COVID-19 disparities,2Public Health EnglandDisparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-review-of-disparities-in-risks-and-outcomesDate: 2020Date accessed: April 18, 2021Google Scholar with other more recent Public Health England publications on the topic and with Public Health England's regular monitoring and surveillance reports. If we had been allowed the courtesy of commenting before publication, we would of course have corrected the obvious error in the helpline response. We declare no competing interests. Recorded but not revealed: exploring the relationship between sex and gender, country income level, and COVID-19In 2020 we witnessed a seeming exponential spread of information about COVID-19. From understanding the pathogen to understanding its effect on populations, we have a wealth of evidence for decision making in pandemic control. Nonetheless, there remain some fundamental areas of investigation and response for which evidence remains oddly and inconsistently absent. The role of sex and gender in understanding the testing-to-outcome pathway of the pandemic is one such area. Full-Text PDF Open AccessSex-disaggregated data is reported by Public Health England – Authors' replyWe are pleased that Public Health England, in their response to our Correspondence,1 have emphasised the importance of sex and gender in the COVID-19 pandemic. We are aware of the sex-disaggregated data produced by Public Health England, which is used in our COVID-19 sex-disaggregated data tracker.2 Full-Text PDF Open Access