The Type I IFN response in SARS-CoV-2 infection has been intensely studied: in vitro infection of airway epithelial cells have consistently resulted in a muted ISG response47, and patients developing severe COVID-19 have been reported to have higher incidence of mutations in IFN response genes, or elevated levels of autoantibodies against IFN-response genes (reviewed in refs. 6,48–55). Here, IFNA1 is linked to infection.