People With Type O And Negative Blood Less Likely To Catch COVID-19, Says Study

With each passing day, the novel coronavirus is taking a tighter grip on the lives of humans around the world.

Whether it¡¯s sanitising our hands regularly or wearing masks all the time, we¡¯re leaving no stone unturned and yet it¡¯s infecting hundreds of people around the world every day.

Reuters

However, now, a new study has revealed that our blood group could be responsible for us contracting or not contracting the novel coronavirus.

Researchers from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto looked at 225,556 people who had a blood test between 2007 and 2019, and a COVID-19 swab this year. Out of the 225,556 individuals, 36.3 per cent had blood type A, 4.5 per cent had type AB, 14.9 per cent had type B, and 44.3 per cent had type O.

Statistical analysis including all variables and comorbidities revealed that risk of contracting SARS CoV-2 was 15 percent higher in type AB blood compared to type A. People with type O blood are 12 percent less likely to catch the novel coronavirus when compared to other blood types. Moreover, negative blood types like O-, A-, B-, or AB- are on average, 21 percent less likely to get the virus.

Researchers explain in their study (published in Annals of Internal Medicine), ¡°There were 1,328 cases of COVID-19 with severe illness or death, with higher probabilities among AB and B blood groups as well as those who were Rh+. In this study, which was done within a universal health care system with widespread SARS-CoV-2 testing, O and Rh? blood groups were associated with a slightly lower risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as severe COVID-19 illness or death.¡±

Reuters

While this is fascinating, this is by no means a reason to not wear a mask or abuse social distancing and personal hygiene. All that will have to continue if we have to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from the deadly COVID-19.