CD8A and infection: Our results demonstrate that: beyond 9 months post-infection, all tested patients displayed AIM+ virus-specific T cells unlike IFN-γ + virus-specific T cells; SARS-CoV-2 specific AIM+T cells were mostly of naive-like phenotype; The proportion of AIM+ CD8+T SCM was stable and responded similarly to stimulation with peptides from the priming variant, as from the later alpha or delta variants.