Severe-to-critical COVID-19 has been shown to be associated with a dysregulated host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 with elevated levels of C–C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) ligands including chemokine C–C ligands 3, 4, 5, as well as interleukins 6 and 10. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is COVID-19.