They know there are people out there resistant to COVID

This is a nice review of the bright side of mutations. The spike protein binds Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) on its host cell's surface. It has undergone so many mutations that help it do that better while other mutations make it harder. Those strains die out quickly, if they're even noticed at all, because the virus can't break in, set up shop, and reproduce.

However, just like so many of the COVID mutations that the omicron variants have that don't break it, their host animals also have mutations that make something different without messing up its function. The article discusses one of the mutations that protect a person from contracting HIV as an example. There are some crummy conditions that people can have that also have the upside of making them susceptible to something else that is harmful. So now scientists are trying to sort through the genes of people like Ms. Kaoukaki who haven't caught COVID in spite of definitely being exposed.

Who knows? Their ACE2 proteins might just be different enough in the receptor-binding domain that the spike protein cannot latch on. That doesn't mean it can't still do its regular job. Ms. Kaoukaki didn't/doesn't have any antibodies for COVID so they know she didn't just have an asymptomatic infection or somehow tested with a false negative result. That means that COVID virii did not have the ability to stick around long enough for their immune systems to mount a response against them.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/are-some-people-resistant-to-covid-19-geneticists-are-on-the-hunt?rid=65B6B50EE3BD341D0C8528B438D4B8AA&cmpid=org=ngp::mc=crm-email::src=ngp::cmp=editorial::add=SpecialEdition_20220408

If you think you might be one of these people that never tested positive when you're certain you should have, give these folks a ring. Please.

Pete, I've been thinking about this lately.  Perhaps wishful thinking but I've been wondering if my family has some innate at least relative immunity.  First, I'm not aware of a single blood relative who has gotten it  and that includes not only immediate family members but also cousins and their kids etc.  More recently, my 89 yr old mother was at a card game.   Everyone else at the game got it, not her.  Plus she was exposed to another person with it in her household and still didn't get it (this was before her 2nd booster and long after the first one).   My adult kids live in Brooklyn.  Quite a few of the NYC area young adult children of my friends got it.  Not mine.  I don't know.  Still being careful.

Maybe it is worth giving the folks a call. It could mean something important to their efforts. One of the people is in New York City.

“We’re going to find the genetic and immunological determinants of the various severe forms of coronavirus infection.”

— Dr. Jean-Laurent Casanova, Co-Leader

The Rockefeller University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), New York, New York, USA

https://www.covidhge.com/

Jean-Laurent Casanova, MD, PhD

St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases
The Rockefeller University & HHMI, New York, USA
jean-laurent.casanova@rockefeller.edu

Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases
Necker Hospital for Sick Children & INSERM, Paris, France
jean-laurent.casanova@inserm.fr

casanova_studies@rockefeller.edu

Tel: +1 (212) 327-7331

http://www.rockefeller.edu/research/heads.php

So.. still have never received a positive test result for COVID (which seems more accurate than saying I've never had COVID). I keep seeing news of studies on people who've never been infected, eg today https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/09/07/1121599445/so-you-havent-caught-covid-yet-does-that-mean-youre-a-superdodger which references https://www.covidhge.com/getinvolved

All the studies seem to be looking for people with known exposure, though, which always rules me out. Beyond the ambient exposure of just going about my day (which includes going into the office a few times a week on NJT/MTA), I can't claim any known close exposure.

Any studies anyone knows about I might actually be eligible for? I'm feeling increasingly like a statistical anomaly here, and would love to do my part for science.

No one in 3 generations of my family has gotten sick, including 3 people who have had high risk exposures.  My daughter signed up for a study being done at the Rockefeller University in NYC.  You can find it and apply on line.    She had a high risk exposure - living with boyfriend who had it - so I encouraged her to sign up.  I've been very careful though lately I've let my guard down re masking (to no ill effect so far).

I've never tested positive for COVID.  That said, I self isolated through the worst of lockdown, generally mask indoors, avoid crowds indoors and out and take other precautions.  No way of knowing if I have been exposed.  Three close blood relatives have had COVID (all mild cases) so it is unlikely that any resistance is genetic.

joan_crystal said:

I've never tested positive for COVID.  That said, I self isolated through the worst of lockdown, generally mask indoors, avoid crowds indoors and out and take other precautions.  No way of knowing if I have been exposed.  Three close blood relatives have had COVID (all mild cases) so it is unlikely that any resistance is genetic.

I have never tested positive for COVID. I am sure my late sister had it in February 2020, before they had any testing. She survived it and lasted another 16+ months. Did I have it? Maybe, maybe not. I felt not so good, but that might have been from exhaustion. I also didn't get it when my husband had it in November 2020, and he didn't distance himself. I thought I had it at one point, but the symptoms cleared in a day. Who knows? 

I was super careful for months and months. And months after that. Still mask in a crowd, store, etc. No travel or concerts or indoor dining yet. Vaxxed. Never aware of having it, but I was exposed big time a couple of weeks ago, via a family member, and tested negative multiple times afterwards…which has me convinced I’ve had it recently and was asymptomatic. 

I've never taken a COVID test. Prior to treatments being available I felt a bit under the weather but was able to isolate the recommended time. That was the only instance where I felt like maybe I possibly had it. Asymptomatic infections occur so I can't say for certain I've never had it. 

I test regularly but haven’t tested positive yet despite living with people who have had it

Fingers crossed