SARS-CoV-2 induced phosphorylation of STAT1, as well as rapid IFIT1 and OAS2 mRNA induction, suggest a similar host response to SARS-CoV-2 as that observed during mutant MERS-CoV-ΔNS4ab infection, and not that of WT MERS-CoV infection. Here, IFIT1 is linked to infection.