  In this study, we explored how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affected
the demand for insurance and vaccines in Japan from mid-March to mid-April
2020. Through independent internet surveys, respondents were asked hypothetical
questions concerning the demand for insurance and vaccines for protection
against COVID-19. Using the collected short-panel data, after controlling for
individual characteristics using the fixed effects model, the key findings,
within the context of the pandemic, were as follows: (1) Contrary to extant
studies, the demand for insurance by females was smaller than that by their
male counterparts; (2) The gap in demand for insurance between genders
increased as the pandemic prevailed; (3) The demand for a vaccine by females
was higher than that for males; and (4) As COVID-19 spread throughout Japan,
demand for insurance decreased, whereas the demand for a vaccine increased.
