那么从科学的角度看，到底存不存在那些不会得上新冠的人，这样的人在人群中到底有多少？上周《纽约时报》有篇文章刚好聊这事儿，咱们今天就看看人群中究竟谁是能杀进决赛圈的“天选之子”。

Who Are the 'Never-Coviders'?

While many people may have avoided infection through precaution or luck, "never Coviders," scientists believe, are truly out there: People who are naturally immune and whose genetics could hold clues for treatment.

Does this really happen?

It probably is a real thing. There are other viruses for which we know there are people who are naturally resistant. The most striking example I can think of is H.I.V., where there is a mutation that makes some people resistant to getting infected with the virus. That's actually been the key to curing the very few people that have been cured of H.I.V.

What's going on inside people who have never gotten Covid?

One way for the body to be resistant to a virus is through genetic mutations. So, for example, the coronavirus needs what's called an ACE2 receptor on a cell in order to latch on to it. If you have a mutation in that particular receptor, then the virus can't get into your cells and can't infect you. But that kind of mutation is likely to be pretty rare.

Genetics also plays a role in how severely people get sick. Some people have mutations in the innate immune system, which is like the first responder part of your immune system and is pretty generic. More specific reactions, like antibodies for a particular virus, appear later in an infection.

We know now that people who have mutations in that first responder system tend to have very severe disease. So the flip side is also likely to be true: Some people may have mutations that prevent them from getting infected at all.