Genomics has played an important role in the battle against COVID-19. Scientists around the world have brought forward a herculean effort to manage the outbreak and bring an end to the pandemic. Early sequencing of the virus and data sharing has led to improved surveillance, tracking transmission of the virus and its variants, in real-time. New vaccines employ an mRNA sequence, a technology years in the making. The past year has also given rise to many challenges including an increasing amount of misinformation and mistrust in science.