New research reveals that SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, uses a clever tactic to prolong the life of the cells it infects, allowing it more time to replicate and spread throughout the body. This manipulation not only increases viral load and disease severity, but also creates conditions that benefit other viruses, such as influenza. By keeping the host cells alive longer than usual, SARS-CoV-2 delays the immune system’s ability to respond effectively, giving itself—and sometimes co-infecting viruses—a major advantage. This may help explain why co-infections with flu during COVID-19 can be especially dangerous.
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