People with blood type O may have lower risk of Covid-19 infection and severe illness

People with blood type O may be less vulnerable to Covid-19 and have a reduced likelihood of getting severely ill from the virus, according to two new studies.

The two independent studies, carried out by researchers in Denmark and Canada and published in the journal Blood Advances, found that individuals with blood types A and AB are most vulnerable to the disease.

The research provides further evidence that a person's blood type may play a role in their susceptibility to coronavirus and could shed further light on why the illness proves deadly for some but others only experience mild symptoms, or none at all.

Lead author Dr Torben Barington, of Odense University Hospital, said: "We do not know whether this is some kind of protection of group O, or whether it's some kind of vulnerability in the other blood groups."

He added: "I think this has scientific interest, and when we find out what the mechanism is, perhaps we're able to use that proactively in some way in regard to treatment."

The Canadian study meanwhile found those with blood type A or AB were at higher risk of experiencing severe Covid-19 symptoms than those with O or B.

Analysis of 95 critically ill Covid-19 patients in a Vancouver hospital revealed people in the first category were more likely to require mechanical ventilation and dialysis for kidney failure.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/studies-coronavirus-infection-symptoms-blood-type-a4571031.html

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