World-first experiment reveals why some people never get COVID
(SCIENCE ALERT) – A detailed comparison of COVID-19 cases has finally provided insight into why some individuals have yet to endure so much as a sniffle from a virus that brought much of the world to its knees. Based on an analysis of the genetic activity in the nasal tissues and blood of people with unsuccessful SARS-CoV-2 infections, a team of researchers led by the Wellcome Sanger Institute and University College London in the UK has discovered a novel immune response that provides a robust front-line defense.
Yet for a fortunate few, infection is so fleeting the body barely has time to come up with so much as a single 'achoo'. For all purposes, a small number of individuals have remained completely COVID-free in spite of an ongoing global pandemic.
Just why some people are better protected than others hasn't been clear, with field research complicated by difficulties in accurately pinpointing the moment of exposure. To get around this obstacle, researchers implemented what's known as a challenge trial, intentionally infecting 36 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 30 with a pre-Alpha strain of SARS-CoV-2 under strict laboratory conditions.