Who are the "Never-Coviders"?

More your experiences without Covid.

ImageA nurse prepares vaccine boosters at a Covid center in Washington D.C.Credit...Kenny Holston for The New York Times

Today's virus briefing is here e last for 2022. The year began on The outbreak of the Omicron variant in the United States was nearing its peak: on January 20, nearly 160,000 Covid patients were hospitalized, the most at any time during the pandemic. On February 2, the seven-day average of new reported deaths peaked at 2,669.

As the year draws to a close, an expected seasonal increase in cases of Covid started . The seven-day average of daily deaths is up 65% from two weeks ago. With cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., also high, several cities and counties, including New York and Los Angeles, have advised people to mask up.

But one of the most confusing mysteries of the pandemic remains: some people have never had Covid, this season or ever.

While many people may have avoided infection as a precaution or by luck, "never Coviders", according to scientists, are really there: people who are naturally immune and whose genetics could hold clues for a treatment.

Jonathan Wolfe spoke with Times colleague Apoorva Mandavilli on how scientists try to find them and what we could learn.

Is this really happening?

It's probably a real thing. There are other viruses that we know have people who are naturally resistant to them. The most striking example I can think of is H.I.V., which...