Women tend to take the role of caregiver in the home. During covid, that means that the women who are at home are expected to complete schooling, jobs and caring. The caring aspect is exasurbated by the closing of most childcare areas. Women during COVID are seen as having 'flexible' work that can be done throughout the day. The flexibility is restricted just to women, which makes it hard for men to have the same flexibility. This further pushes the expectation of caregiving to women.

South african students are expected to care for their younger siblings and elderly family members, further stressing the students. Similar observations of higher stress levels within women, who are generally caregivers, have been observed in Austrailia and Turkey.