ABO Blood Types and Covid-19

Q: Is there anything to the rumor that some blood types may be at higher risk for contracting Covid-19

 A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that blood group O was associated with a lower risk of acquiring Covid-19 as compared with non-O blood groups.

 Blood group A was associated with a higher risk than non-A blood groups. researchers concluded. A potential explanation may be because the immune systems of people with Type O blood already have antibodies for both A and B in their plasma. Thus, their bodies are more equipped to identify foreign proteins—including those on the surface of viruses. Researchers do not yet know, however, if type A has an increased susceptibility to infection or to severity.

More tomorrow