The common food pesticide chlorpyrifos was found to weaken critically important immune system cells known as Natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells are one of our first lines of defense in protecting from CoronaVirus infection. Therefore, any weakening of NK cells will result in higher rates of Covid infection.
When a CoronaVirus is on the verge of starting a major infection in the human body, an immune cell called a natural killer cell is attacking the virus with intensity and desperately trying to sway the see-saw so the virus loses and the body wins. Unfortunately, the common food pesticide chlorpyrifos, appears to have the ability to sway things in favor of the virus winning.
In a study out of Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, Japan, researchers exposed natural killer cells to low levels of chlorpyrifos from 0 to 100 parts per million for 1 to 72 hours. The effect was so great that the cells didn't just become "weak" - the exposures resulted in the death of natural killer cells by a process called apoptosis.