A few thoughts about this preprint claiming that SARS-COV-2 is reverse-transcribed into human genome (1/7) https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.12.422516v1

The human/viral chimeric reads that the authors detect in RNAseq dataset do not represent by themselves a strong level evidence for reverse transcription. (2/7)

They could have different origins: technical (RNA ligation and PCR amplification steps during RNAseq protocol), or biological (recombination, and -ssRNA viruses can perform cap-snatching, not sure about similar mechanism for +ssRNA viruses) (3/7)

The authors detect LINE-1 expression in infected cells and suspect L1 could provide the RT that SARS-CoV-2 lacks. But detecting L1 expression in vitro in infected cell lines does not mean it is induced in vivo (4/7)

L1 expression (and repeats in general) is strongly repressed in healthy tissue, but is more commonly detected in the cancer-derived cell lines that we typically use in vitro (5/7)

And even if the authors conclusions are correct, and RT or viral RNA does happen, it would be relevant only if the cells survive infection by SCoV2, which is generally not the case. (6/7)

Finally, and more important, this preprint has nothing to do with the -bogus- claim that mRNA vaccines will be reverse transcribed and integrated in our genome, and it should certainly not be a new cause for concern (7/7).