 This study suggests that certain genetic variations may increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection. The researchers found that people who have rare variants of genes related to type I interfere on immunity are more likely to develop life-threatening forms of the virus. These findings suggest that genetics could play a role in determining how severe someone's illness will be if they contract the virus. This article was authored by Daniela Matuoso, Estelle Taluon, Astrid Markhal, and others.