"We've also found that some of the ancient hominin's (Neanderthal's) genetic material seems to trigger an overactive immune response to the novel coronavirus, resulting in a more severe case of COVID-19. This troublesome gene likely stuck around because it helped our ancestors fight disease, but now that we've identified it, we hope to understand it and open the doors to future treatments."
--as told to Claire Malderelli
Correct spelling of Claire’s name: Claire Maldarelli
I wonder if rhesus factor has anything to do with how it affects people.