As expected, alterations of a portfolio of antiviral innate immune response-related factors such as CASP-8, CCL11, TRIM5, IRAK1, CD40, IL8, IRF9 and DDX58 were detectable in the SSIS and/or the acute phase of the COVID-19 (Fig. 5c, d), probably reflecting the activation of antiviral responses. Here, IRF9 is linked to COVID-19.