Journal of Translational Autoimmunity reports “Pathogenic priming likely contributes to serious and critical illness and mortality in COVID-19 via autoimmunity”

Homology between human and viral proteins is an established factor in viral- or vaccine-induced autoimmunity. Failure of SARS and MERS vaccines in animal trials involved pathogenesis consistent with an immunological priming that could involve autoimmunity in lung tissues due to previous exposure to the SARS and MERS spike protein. Exposure pathogenesis to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 likely will lead to similar outcomes. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32292901/