The mechanisms of these central nervous system symptoms remain largely unknown.In an established hamster model of intranasal infection with SARS-CoV-2 <sup>5</sup> , and patients deceased from COVID-19, we report a lack of viral neuroinvasion despite aberrant BBB permeability, microglial activation, and brain expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, especially within the hippocampus and the inferior olivary nucleus of the medulla, when compared with non-COVID control hamsters and humans who died from other infections, cardiovascular disease, uremia or trauma. This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and infection.