Scientists around the world are racing to understand COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus that causes the disease. Among the questions they’re asking: why do most people who are infected show mild to moderate symptoms (or possibly no symptoms at all), whereas others develop a severe form of the disease?
To help gather more insights, 23andMe has launched a research study to help determine whether genetics may play a role. 23andMe’s unique research model, with millions of customers consenting to participate, offers their scientists a powerful tool for potential insight into the role genetics may play in explaining differences in the severity of the novel coronavirus.
Encouraged by the overwhelming interest (with more than 400,000 existing 23andMe customers already enrolled to participate, including several thousand who’ve confirmed they had the virus), 23andMe is opening enrollment to people who have been hospitalized with the disease but are not currently customers. Opening up the research to individuals with more severe symptoms will increase their ability to learn how genes may play a role in the severity of this disease.
