Over 95 million Americans have had COVID at least once during the pandemic according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But those are only the ones we know of, and there are also asymptomatic cases that display no symptoms. OPB News channel published an interesting thought on September 12, 2022. What if there is a third class of COVID super-dodgers, they asked that simply don’t get it…
What Makes These COVID Super-Dodgers Different?
COVID has circulated so widely every American must have confronted it numerous times in the past two years. If they took their sensible precautions there is an excellent chance they dodged it. But sooner or later the cunning virus must have found a way past. How come those folk did not even have a runny nose or a scratchy throat?
A way back in the 1990’s researchers were working day and night to understand HIV that had doctors on the run. They kept stumbling over people exposed to multiple unprotected engagements who avoided contracting the disease. They figured they must have some or other genetic mutation. Could something similar apply to COVID super-dodgers too?
Have Researchers in San Francisco Cracked the Code?
A team of researchers at University of California, San Francisco have been following this line of reasoning (see link below). One of their members is immune-geneticist Jill Hollenbach. “Anywhere from 10% to 30% of individuals in the cohorts that we’re studying are completely asymptomatic,” she told Yahoo News on September 17, 2022.
She and her team have identified a remarkable genetic mutation:
- It does NOT prevent a person from catching a COVID infection.
- However it DOES prevent that virus from infecting their cells.
Are You One of Those Fortunate Super-Dodgers?
An independent study is unfolding at Rockefeller University in New York. Their researchers are looking for people who believe they have ability to dodge the COVID virus. Pediatrician Jean-Laurent Casanova is studying the genetics of viral resistance there. He says:
“You fill out a questionnaire online about your exposures to SARS-CoV-2,” he explains. “And then if you meet the criteria of a super-dodger, we send you a testing kit. Basically you spit in a cup and mail it back to us.” We included a link in our post to their project below, just in case you are interested to participate.
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