The Relationship Between Neanderthal Genes and COVID-2

The gene in particular is of oligodenolate synthase 1, OAS1. It binds to foreign double strand RNA from viruses like SARS-CoV-2 or other coronaviruses. When it does that, it becomes active and makes a funny nucleotide which takes ATP's and hooks them together in a strange way. That tickles a different enzyme called RNA-ZEL, which is an enzyme that chews up RNA for a living. And so anyway, it turns out that variant that put OAS in this has been linked or associated with a slightly better outcome with being infected with SARS- CoV-2. So the answer is yes.