A non-peer-reviewed study indicates patients with the A blood type had a higher rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection and tended to get more severe COVID-19 disease symptoms.

Furthermore, those with type ‘O’ had a significantly lower risk for the infectious disease’ compared to others, wrote these researchers on March 16, 2020.

Of the 206 patients who died from COVID-19 disease in a Wuhan, China hospital, the study found that 85 (41%) had blood type A, which was significantly higher than the overall type A rate of 32% in the region, and 52 patients (25%) who died had type O, which was significantly lower than the 34% rate of type O overall.

This fatality rate was found to exist across different age and gender groups.

This research was led by Wang Xinghuan from the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University.

He wrote, “People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection.”

“SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with blood group A might need to receive more vigilant surveillance and aggressive treatment.”

“Another limitation of the report is that it provides no clear explanation of the phenomenon like the molecular interaction between the virus and the blood cells,” Wang wrote.

Blood types can be identified by a specific antigen found on the red blood cells that trigger a specific immune response.

“It might be helpful to introduce ABO blood typing in both patients and medical personnel as a routine part of the management of COVID-19 disease patients.”

Gao wrote, “If you are type A, there is no need to panic. It does not mean you will be infected 100 percent.”

This report does not suggest that people with blood type O are completely safe.

They still need to wash their hands and take all necessary precautions laid down by the World Health Organisation.

While these researchers said the study was preliminary and more work is needed, they urged healthcare providers to consider blood type differences may affect COVID-19 disease severity.

An individual’s blood type depends on which genes were passed on by their parents.

Your blood type is based on whether or not certain proteins are on your red blood cells. These proteins are called antigens, says Medline Plus.

Blood is often grouped according to the ABO blood typing system. Within the ABO group, four major categories are divided into 8 common blood types: A, B, O, and AB.

Additionally, Rh typing uses a method similar to ABO typing. When blood typing is done to see if you have Rh factor on the surface of your red blood cells, results are positive or negative.

COVID-19 Disease news published by Coronavirus Today.