Both autosomal recessive deficiencies of IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), located in 11p15.5, including p.Pro364fs/p.Pro364f and p.Met371Val/p.Asp117Asn and autosomal dominant IRF7 including p.Arg7fs/WT, p.Gln185*/WT, p.Pro246fs/WT, p.Arg369Gln/WT, p.Phe95Ser/WT deficiencies are found in ~ 3.5% of severe COVID-19 patients (and also in life-threatening influenza-associated pneumonia) but absent in asymptomatic/mild SARS-CoV-2 infected patients [6]. The gene discussed is IRF7; the disease is COVID-19.