Blood type A possibly more susceptible to coronavirus
Image credit: Tempus600
Turns out, knowing your blood type might be more useful than you think. According to a study conducted by researchers on a group of COVID-19 patients in China, people with blood type A might be more susceptible to the virus. Those with type O were observed to be more resistant.
The blood samples were retrieved from over 2,000 infected patients in Wuhan and Shenzhen, and then compared to healthy populations in the country.
Type A observed to develop more severe symptoms
Patients with type A had higher infection rates, and also had the tendency to develop more severe symptoms as compared to other infected people.
South China Morning Post also reported that 85 out of the 206 patients that had died from the virus in Wuhan had type A blood, while 52 had type O.
The study was conducted by Chinese doctors and scientists from across the country, and they have since stated that there could be “risks involved” in using the study as a guide for current clinical practices. It is also not clear as to how specific blood types can affect one’s vulnerability against the new coronavirus.
Useful findings for further research
Doctors perform a CT scan on a patient at the Red Cross Hospital, Wuhan
Image credit: Stringer/AFP via Getty Images
The team of researchers, who are working with the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, wrote in their study that people with type A blood “might need particularly strengthened personal protection” to reduce their chances of infection.
Gao Yingdai, a researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Haematology in Tianjin, stated that while the current study might be useful, the public “should not take the statistics too seriously.”
Image credit: Unicef
So if you’re reading this and have type A blood, don’t panic. Whatever your blood type, remember to stay safe and sanitised by regularly washing your hands and avoiding touching your face.
Bangkokians and visitors coming in should also stay alert and adhere to the current regulations that have been introduced, including avoiding crowds and staying indoors as much as you can.
Keep up with the COVID-19 situation in Thailand:
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- Songkran 2020 Holidays Have Been Postponed To Later This Year
- The Commons Thonglor Closes Premises Amid COVID-19
- Thailand Has 32 New COVID-19 Infections Found In A Single Day, People Urged To Stay Calm
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