Three Properties of SARS-CoV-2 That Promote COVID-19

Much of COVID-19 disease can be attributed to the stable structure of the envelope, which facilitates its transmission; the spike protein and its receptor which determine which tissues get infected and are susceptible to viral and immune cytolysis; and evasion of initiation of type 1 and 3 interferons, which gives the virus a replicative head start and ability to spread while simultaneously compromising the antiviral immune response.