IL1B and COVID-19: Viruses including the betacoronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are known to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in host cells.8, 9, 10, 11 Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β garnered considerable attention due to their well-known biological functions in health and disease.12