Using Genetics to Predict Your COVID-19 Risk

With 2020 behind us and COVID vaccines available to every American, it’s easy, and exciting to go back to our old ways and say goodbye to the “new normal” for good. Many states have lifted all COVID restrictions and most have lifted mandated mask and social distancing orders. It’s a pleasant reprieve from the year we all went through. Nevertheless, we have to remember that in certain cases, precautions are still necessary in order to keep us moving forward instead of regressing to a totally new outbreak.

Even though nearly 50% of the American population is now vaccinated, every vaccine has its limits. Current COVID vaccines are doing their job in protecting many from contracting the disease, however, we don’t yet know if it prevents the spread of the virus from those who have been vaccinated. Another limitation is that current vaccines are not going to be effective against mutated strains of the virus, which are already beginning to spread. In fact, one out of three epidemiologists believes that the current vaccine will be rendered ineffective by viral mutations by 2022.

All of this information doesn’t mean that the lifted restrictions need to be enforced again right now, but it does mean that individuals need to know their own risk levels and to decide what precautions to take in order to prevent infecting themselves and others. We now have the ability to take accurate risk assessments with COVID-19 genetic prediction tests at home so that we can each determine how best to do our part in keeping this virus at bay.