Looking next at the NK cell subsets (CD45RO+ NK cells, CD45RO+ NKT cells, CD45RO+ CD8+ NK cells, CD45RO+ CD8+ NKT cells) and the four features of HbAS‐mediated protection from malaria (Figure 3a–d), the only significant correlation observed was between the baseline frequency of CD45RO+ CD8+ NK cells and the time from the start of the Pf transmission season to malaria episode in HbAS children (Figure 3c, top panel). Here, CD8A is linked to malaria.