The clinical results obtained with Paxlovid for the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 infection (89% reduction in the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization with no deaths) compared with a placebo or other drugs used against COVID-19, might suggest that targeting viral proteins, such as 3CLpro, that are implicated in both viral replication and in IFN/STAT1 inhibition could be an important tool for the treatment of the most dangerous viral infections and for future viral pandemics. This evidence concerns the gene IFNA1 and COVID-19.