IFNA1 and infection: In the case of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the innate immune system recognises viral RNAs and pathogen-associated molecular pattern molecules (PAMPs) through three main classes of cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptors (PRR): Toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs), which trigger the expression of interferons (IFN) and activation of antiviral effectors such as natural killer (NK) cells, CD8+ T cells and macrophages (4–8).