Common cold virus may protect against COVID-19

Common cold virus may protect against COVID-19


This might be the one benefit to catching a cold: The virus that causes a common cold might confer some protection from COVID-19.

In a recent discovery, scientists at Yale University found that exposure to the rhinovirus, which frequently causes colds, also jump-starts the immune system in a way that can halt replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The key to the body’s response is genes that are stimulated by interferon, an immune system protein that acts as a natural defender. Researchers said the findings are significant because interferon is available as a drug that could potentially be used to prevent or treat COVID-19 infections.

In this case, timing is crucial: Triggering an immune response in the early stages of COVID-19 appears to hold the most promise. In fact, high interferon levels in the later stages of COVID-19 can do more harm than good.

Since common cold viruses were already known to protect against the flu, the Yale researchers wanted to know if the viruses could have a similar, beneficial effect on the virus that causes COVID-19. For their study, researchers used human airway cells infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Left unchecked, the viral load doubled every six hours for the first three days. But in tissue exposed to the rhinovirus, the COVID-19 virus was completely stopped.

Because it works best early on, the researchers noted the drug may perform best as a preventive treatment for those with COVID-19 exposure. Trials to study interferon’s effectiveness in that context are underway.

If nothing else, the potential for COVID-19 protection is one less reason to complain about that stuffy, runny nose that comes with a cold.

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