More stress, less voice? The gender gap in political participation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Initial fears of a standstill in political participation during the COVID-19 pandemic have not come true. Nevertheless, the voices heard in politics may have changed in such a radically altered social and political context. Specifically, the current article examines whether the gender gap in political participation has widened during the pandemic, reinforcing the gendered impact of the pandemic and state measures to cope with it. To empirically assess the development and drivers of the gender gap in political participation, we rely on original survey data for Germany collected in autumn 2020 and spring 2021. Based on retrospective questions about pre-pandemic behaviour and a within-pandemic panel, our results indicate three points: (1) the COVID-19 crisis has slightly increased the gender gap in participation;(2) COVID-19-related burdens (such as increasing care obligations) have not restrained, but fostered, participation;and (3) this mobilising effect is, however, stronger among men than women. © European Conference on Politics and Gender and Bristol University Press 2023.

The mobilisation potential of anti-containment protests in Germany

The Covid-19 pandemic triggered polarisation across Europe. While most citizens supported governments' containment measures, others took to the streets and voiced their dissatisfaction. The article focuses on the mobilisation potential related to this heterogenous protest wave. It examines individuals that show sympathy and are willing to engage in anti-containment demonstrations based on 16 waves of a rolling cross-section survey fielded in Germany in 2020/2021. The results show a considerable and stable mobilisation potential: every fifth respondent sympathises with the protesters, and around 60% of those are ready to participate themselves. Political distrust, far-right orientations and an emerging 'freedom divide' structure the potential, as do Covid-19-related economic and health threats. Moreover, the findings indicate a radicalisation process and show how ideology and threat perceptions drive the step from sympathy to willingness to participate, suggesting that ideological polarisation may quickly spill over to the streets given an appropriate supply of protest opportunities.

Seroconversion for SARS-COV-2 in health care workers after the first and the second wave of COVID-19 in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland

Introduction: Health care workers (HCW) are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 through patient contact. Objectives: We aimed to assess the seroprevalence for SARS-CoV-2 among HCW in the canton Grisons and analyze risk factors associated with seroconversion. Methods: HCW from 13 health care institutions were recruited. Sera were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using an electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay of Roche Diagnostics in mid-2020 (survey I) and early 2021 (survey II). Participants reported risk factors for COVID-19 in a questionnaire.Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association of seropositivity with each risk factor were determined by logistic regression. Results: SARS-CoV2 serology was positive in 99 of 2794 (3.5%) participants in survey I and in 376 of 2315 (13.5%) participants in survey II. By survey II, 86 of 88 (97.7%) initially seropositive participants remained seropositive. In multivariable analysis of both surveys, the strongest association for SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion was contact with a household member with COVID-19 (adjusted OR: 21.2, 95% CI: 8.5-51.4, p < 0.001, survey I;aOR: 8.5, 95% CI: 6.0-12.1, p < 0.001, survey II). Significant occupational risk factors included contact with patients with COVID-19 in both surveys (aOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4-5.4, p < 0.001, survey I and aOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-2.2, p = 0.046, survey II). Contact to a SARSCoV- 2 positive co-worker was a significant risk factor only in survey I, whereas private contact with SARS-CoV-2 positive persons and the COVID-19 incidence in the region of the HCI were associated with seroconversion only in survey II. Conclusion: Contact with patients with COVID-19 was an important risk factor for seroconversion, although the risk was higher for household contacts. These findings highlight the need to optimize preventive measures for SARS-CoV2 infection among HCW.