For any person, their gender and age both are non-modifiable factors. When we consider the the risks associated with COVID-19, these two factors are the most important ones that can influence the associated complications.
Besides that, existing health conditions of the individual, lifestyle, and genetic factors also affect the overall risk for infection due to COVID-19. Since we are confronting this COVID-19 pandemic that is quite new, hence the knowledge about the various role played by host genetics is still not fully known to the medical fraternity.
However, after the grandparent DNA test by PaternityUSA, whatever data has been obtained indicates that even the genetic makeup of any individual can surely affect both the risk and also the severity of this COVID-19 infection.
Weill Cornell Medicine geneticists also have started finding out, as they have begun to uncover after the grandparent paternity test that genetic mechanisms underlying all these questions in their research study done with the NIH (National Institutes of Health).
They are trying to enroll about 40,000 different people among those who have already been infected with this COVID-19 in their study. They hope that with the help of the grandparent DNA test kit, they will be able to shed light on predisposing gene mutations as well as the super-spreaders – those patients who are asymptomatic, representing 30% infected patients.
The medical researchers are already knowing that about 4% of Americans have an increased genetic predisposition to this virus, besides also due to the effects of different conditions e.g. obesity, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, according to Dr. Lipkin.
About 3% percent carry mutations and that will put them at greater risk of doing very poorly while they are infected with COVID-19, and often they need to be hospitalized and admitted to an ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
The medical researchers are interested to know after doing DNA testing between grandparents grandchild precisely which type of gene mutations can confer the greatest chance of getting medical complication due to the COVID-19 virus.
They also want to discover about new genes that are associated with the risk of COVID-19, especially those among the underrepresented minority groups. They are hoping that this can guide them to more effective ways of treating these high-risk patients.
Why genetics matter?
From the beginning, medical scientists were suspecting that the genetic variation between people to people can account for some of the unexplainable variations in the severity of the disease.
It may also due to differing disease susceptibility i.e. what is the likelihood of someone to get infected. All these can also be for many other kinds of infectious diseases too, though it may be a little less obvious to see.
Therefore, scientists and doctors all around the world are performing the best grandparent DNA test and making efforts to uncover the various genomic factors that are driving the severity of the disease.
Hormones and enzymes can play a vital part in the metabolism of different macronutrients and micronutrients. Certain micronutrients e.g. zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D, etc. can regulate the immune responses and therefore it is important that we should maintain these minerals and vitamins at normal levels to obtain optimal immunity against COVID-19.
