The COVID risks hiding in our DNA
Many people don't realize they have genetic mutations that make them immunocompromised.
From the early days in the pandemic there has been a lot of discussion about how people who are at ‘high risk’ of becoming ill from Covid should take extra precautions and be prioritized for vaccines (and now booster shots). But scientists are finding out that not everyone who is immunocompromised knows about their vulnerable state. In my latest article for The Atlantic, I write about how genetic testing has uncovered variants in human DNA linked to severe infection—many of which don’t have any outward effects until an individual is exposed to the coronavirus. You can read more about it in my new story: A Better Way to Think About Your Risk for COVID