A gene that protects from Covid infection

Plus: France relaxes pandemic restrictions

Researchers at Regeneron Genetics Center analyzed health records and genetics for over 750,000 volunteers. And results of their studies, published today in Nature Genetics, found a genetic variant in a small percentage of the population that reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by 40%. The genetic variant was also associated with reduced expression of the ACE2 protein. The ACE2 protein is found in the cardiovascular system and the lungs, as well as other organs, and it’s what the spike protein of the coronavirus binds to in order to affect cells. This finding not only provides a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of infection, it can also be used to help identify new Covid treatments, as well better identify risk factors that make people more susceptible to severe Covid. 

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What Else We Are Reading

• Weaker Omicron variant is great news for the world, but bad news for Covid-related clinical trials (Endpoints News)

• Wastewater Monitoring Offers Powerful Tool for Tracking COVID and Other Diseases (Scientific American)

• U.S. to share some coronavirus technologies with World Health Organization (Washington Post)