The pharmaceutical industry saw a lucrative opportunity when the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic put life satisfaction and sexual activity at the forefront of the public’s consciousness. With lockdown restrictions lifted and recreational activities back on the agenda, many people could see a need for improved sex-life. And what’s a better way for men to experience heightened arousal than to give them a pill?
The drug industry responded with a range of products, from lubricants to condoms, and even included an extended-release version of Viagra in the mix.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Viagra in men with low sexual desire, known as ‘hypogonadism’, as a treatment for COVID-19 back in May, 2020. Since then, the drug has been linked with narcolepsy, high blood pressure, heart problems, and liver damage.
In the last few months, pharmaceutical companies have pivoted towards expanding the use of their products to address other health concerns, especially during the pandemic. And while the FDA remain tight-lipped about the specifics of their investigation into the dangers of Viagra, the evidence seems to suggest that expanding the drug’s availability may not be the wisest course of action. Here are some interesting tidbits about the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath that may shed some light on the controversial topic:
A Common Illness
In the early stages of the pandemic, men suffered disproportionately from COVID-19. As of April 2020, only 11% of all COVID-19 cases reported were in women. That’s compared to 30% of cases in men and 29% in women worldwide. In the US, 64% of all cases are in men.
The same trend can be seen in other countries. In the UK, for example, 66% of cases are in men.
While this discrepancy may have been partly due to under-reporting in women, medical experts have attributed the higher rate in men to biological factors. After all, men on average have a higher baseline viral load and therefore are more likely to develop complications from the virus. Indeed, men were more than twice as likely as women to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from COVID-19, a life-threatening complication of the disease. ARDS is characterised by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood and tends to affect people with existing lung diseases, such as COPD and asthma. It can also occur as a result of pneumonia, sepsis, or organ failure caused by an infection.
A Marker For High Health Anxiety
One of the most startling trends during the pandemic has been the rise in health anxiety. A 2019 poll of more than 2000 UK adults found that almost a third had experienced significantly increased anxiety since the start of the pandemic. Overall, anxiety levels increased by 55% during the pandemic, with more than a quarter of people (28%) describing their experiences as ‘severe’.
A similar trend can be seen in other countries. A 2019 survey of more than 5000 people in Spain, for example, found that 47% reported experiencing increased levels of anxiety, compared to 30% reporting decreased levels of anxiety. Interestingly, the rise in health anxiety was most prominent among women, and especially those who were single, divorced, or widowed. Health anxiety is also associated with increased levels of depression and stress. It’s a very real issue, especially as so much of our lives have changed in such a short space of time.
The Effects Of Social Isolation
Another major concern in the aftermath of the pandemic has been the adverse effects of social isolation. A survey of more than 5000 people across seven countries, released in March 2020, revealed that people were much more likely to get sick when they were alone than when they were in groups. Even during the pandemic, when people were advised to stay at home as much as possible and limit their interactions with other people, 43% of people still got sick. The study also revealed that, even before the pandemic, people were twice as likely to get sick when they were alone as when they were in groups. Indeed, since the start of the pandemic, the odds of getting sick have increased by 68% in the absence of other people, compared to before the pandemic. The effects of social isolation are far-reaching. It not only makes people more susceptible to illness, but it also impairs their mental wellbeing. For example, studies have shown that social isolation leads to higher blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance, and weight gain. It can also increase the odds of people developing type 2 diabetes by 23% and of them eventually dying from the disease. The effects of social isolation are likely to be even more profound in the weeks and months to come as public health professionals continue to urge people to stay home and avoid social gatherings.
The Effect Of PANDEMIC ON SEXUAL ACTIVITY
The pandemic had a profound effect on our sexual habits. The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that there were 7.2 million extra incidents of sexual activity in 2020, with more people having more than one partner. The rise in multiple sexual relationships was particularly notable among younger people. In fact, since the start of the year, the number of people aged between 25 and 49 who are in a committed relationship has risen by 16% and the number of adults who had more than one sexual partner has risen by 12%. Similarly, a survey of more than 5000 people in Spain found that 44% of respondents had extra-marital relationships during the pandemic, compared to 17% who reported no such activity before the pandemic.
It’s apparent that the pandemic had a profound effect on our sexual behaviour, but it’s important to remember that this was also reflected in the way that people communicated about sex. A 2019 poll of more than 2,100 adults in the UK found that 66% of respondents would happily discuss sex with their partner more than once a day versus 55% who said the same about everyday conversations. This difference is likely to be attributed to the level of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and the subsequent change in our daily lives. During the pandemic, people were much more likely to have open, daily conversations about sex, and this is likely to reflect an underlying trend. As such, although the overall effect of the pandemic on our sex life was positive, it came with a cost. Health professionals are still warning that people’s increased sexual activity and concomitant lack of fear of infection mean that the population is more at risk of sexually transmitted diseases, such as COVID-19, due to the lack of safer sex practices. While the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) recommends that sexual activity be kept at a minimum during the pandemic, especially for those who are more at risk of contracting the disease, and stress is also known to be a major factor in the incurrence of HIV and other STDs, it would be unwise to suppress sexual activity completely. In the words of Dr Christine Maghamai, a consultant psychiatrist at the North London and Hertsshire NHS Foundation Trust, “It’s important not to be too shy about talking about sex, but we also have to be careful about the kind of relationships we have during this time, as there’s always the risk of it going wrong.” The advice from the HPA is pragmatic: “Be careful about the kind of partners you choose, whether in a committed relationship or not. It’s still very easy for someone to catch something from a one-night stand, so keep that in mind,” Dr Maghamai said.
The Benefits Of Limiting Alcohol Consumption
With pubs, clubs, and other public spaces enjoying a brief reprieve from the safety rules that confined us to our homes, the opportunity was there for people to socialise and meet new people. One of the most interesting aspects of the survey noted above is that people were more willing to discuss sex in detail, particularly with their partner, compared to before the pandemic. This is likely to be attributed to a combination of factors including the loosened restrictions, social interaction via online platforms, and increased education about sexual health and disease. As such, it appears that there are multiple factors at play in terms of the effects of the pandemic on our sexual behaviour. Overall, the data shows that the effects of the pandemic on our sex life were overwhelmingly positive, but it would be unwise to assume that this was due solely to the advent of the drug Viagra and the resultant increase in sexual activity. The effect of the pandemic on the way we socialise, interact, and inform one another about sex are likely to continue for many years to come.