COVID-19

People are walking a lot less and sleeping more since efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 began in March, according to new data compiled by 23andMe. Researchers looked at data from 33,000 individuals, who consented to participate in research, and included about 20 million data points tracking more than two months of activity. While we know the virus itself presents serious health risks, these changes in daily behavior may also impact our health in more subtle ways.

Preliminary data from 23andMe's massive COVID-19 study lends more support to the importance of blood type in susceptibility to the virus and the severity of symptoms. Early data indicate that the O blood type may be protective against COVID-19.

Hard at work, at home, 23andMe employees share some of their silver linings, the positive aspects, of working at home during the COVID-19 crisis. Here are some of the bright spots of their days spent working from home and sheltering in place with their families or on their own.

Already with almost half a million participants, including several thousand who have had the virus, 23andMe is expanding its COVID-19 genetics study. The study is now open to people who have been hospitalized with severe cases of the virus but are not currently 23andMe customers.

We don’t yet know all the factors that influence our immune systems’ responses to COVID-19. Research shows there are clear genetic differences in susceptibility to other infectious diseases — with much of that variation found in genes involved in the immune system. But our environment likely plays a big role in how well our immune systems function, too.

We know genetics plays a role in the severity and susceptibility of other infectious diseases, but does genetics play a role in the severity of some cases of COVID-19? 23andMe is currently conducting research with the aim of learning more.

23andMe scientists began a study of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, to understand how genetics may influence the differences in severity of the disease among people.