More ‘attractive’ people might have stronger Covid immunity, study suggests

If you somehow haven’t caught Covid in the past two years of the pandemic, then you may be “attractive” with a stronger degree of immunity to infections.

No, we’re not flirting with you, rather that’s what scientists at Texas Christian University have suggested in a new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal last week.

Almost 160 students from the university or those from the nearby community had their photographs taken and answered demographic and lifestyle questionnaires. A further 492 participants were then asked to rate the photographed individuals in terms of attractiveness.

Academics say the results of the study “revealed associations between attractiveness and immune function, particularly aspects of immune function related to efficiently managing bacterial threats”.

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They went on to add: “Researchers have long speculated that perceptions of attractiveness reflect preferences for traits historically linked to health and, ultimately, immune function.

“The results of the current research suggest that facial attractiveness may provide insights into one's immune function, particularly as it relates to one's ability to efficiently combat (primarily) bacterial threats. Additionally, for men, facial attractiveness may also provide cues to their ability to efficiently manage viral threats and neoplastic growth.

“Although future research is needed to replicate these results, the current research suggests that a relationship between facial attractiveness and immune function is likely to exist.”

It’s also worth repeating that the data concerns protections against “bacterial threats”, when coronavirus is… well… a virus.

Please stroke your ego accordingly.

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