A TOP immunologist has explained why some people are simply able to avoid catching Covid-19.
As reported by Dublin Live, Dr Cliona O'Farrelly, who is a professor of comparative immunology and biochemistry at Trinity College, spoke on the Claire Byrne TV show about a number of factors that helped people avoid the virus.
She claimed this was due to socio-economic backgrounds, generally good health, careful behaviour and a rare innate immune response.
Dr O'Farrelly added: "How people live has got a lot to do with their circumstances and then on top of that then is this percentage of people who have what we would call an innate immune signature, that's what we're looking for.
The innate immune signature that identifies the resistance so I think those four things are really important; your socio-economic status, your general health well-being, how you behave and then this innate resistance."
Dr O'Farrelly has also for several years worked on a study about women who contracted Hepatitis C through blood transplants and why some women did not contract the virus. She believes it is down to the innate immune response similarity with Covid.
Alongside this there is currently a large international consortium studying people from 40 countries who have not become infected from Covid-19 despite being close contacts of the virus.
At the moment, they are seeking people from Ireland who have never had Covid to take part in the large study.
Dr O'Farrelly said: "Ideally we are looking for people who have resisted the virus twice, during the first wave and more recently with the Omicron and ideally we need people whose partner was PCR positive while they shared a room with them and they remained PCR negative."
This study is looking for "genetic markers" of resistance to infection.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here