Targeting PD‐1 and possibly other ICs in COVID‐19 patients could be beneficial in releasing the brake of T‐cell exhaustion to induce more potent and sustained antiviral responses mediated by effector T cells and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and the development of functional memory T cells for long‐term immunity.89, 120. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is COVID-19.