The 88 differential targets also included 11 (CCL16, CCL7, CXCL10, CCL8, IL1RN, CD274, IL6, IL18, MERTK, IFNG, and IL18R1, indicated with ** in Fig. 5a) of the 14 proteins detected in COVID-19 patients in multiple previous studies29, 13 of which were included in the 200-plex panel, although most of the patients in prior studies had more severe disease30. This evidence concerns the gene CCL7 and COVID-19.