Why our genes make us unequal in the face of Covid

"Twins with identical genetic heritage, but whose lifestyle habits are completely different would obviously not have the same risks in the face of the disease",

explains Lluis Quintana-Murci, head of the human evolutionary genetics unit (CNRS ) from the Institut Pasteur and professor at the Collège de France.

"

However, we should not underestimate the role of our genes."

They explain at least in part the great differences in vulnerability of a population of equal age and co-morbidities.

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Discovery of a mechanism explaining certain serious forms of Covid-19

A study published by paleogeneticist Svante Paabo last October in

Nature

showed that 63% of Bangladeshis had a genetic variant inherited from Neanderthals

(read below)

which increased the risk of severe forms.

People from Bangladesh living in the UK are well twice as likely to die from Covid as others.

"The economic and social factors have a role, but even taking it into account, the excess risk remains important",

specifies

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