Danish research identifies blood type with some resistance to Covid-19

Sputnik news agency and radio 05:56 GMT 19.10.2020

People with Type O blood are less likely to be infected with coronavirus, Danish researchers have found. While this may play a certain role in the distribution of vaccines if they're in short supply, citizens were still urged to maintain good hand hygiene and social distancing.

A comprehensive joint research by Aarhus University and the University of Southern Denmark has identified a blood type that offers better chances of resisting Covid-19.

According to the research, which featured the data of 470,000 Danes tested for the coronavirus, people with Type O blood are less like to become infected with coronavirus than people with Type A, B and AB. Researchers found that the risk of infection is 13 percent less for people with Type O.

In other words, if screening was carried out by blood group, the same amount number of people required to find 100 positive Covid-19 cases among blood groups A, B and AB would only yield 87 cases in people with blood Type O.

“These are very exciting results that show something takes place between the virus and our blood type. We ought to learn a lot more about it” doctor Lars Østergaard of the Aarhus University Hospital told Danish Radio.

As the reasons for this type of resistance remain unknown, researchers intend to continue their studies, as such knowledge may provide vital information in battling the disease, which has put entire nations in lockdown, hammered economic development and disrupted public life and travel with numerous restrictions.

“We don’t yet know the explanation, but we know from other infectious diseases that there may be a link between blood type and getting an infection” Odense University Hospital professor Torben Barington told Danish Radio. According to him, this information may help determine who should be vaccinated first in case of limited supplies.

It is not uncommon for different blood types to react differently to various diseases. For instance, people with blood Type O are at greater risk of getting stomach ulcers, but tend to have a milder course of malaria.

In conclusion, Barrington stressed that despite certain resistance, all blood types are ultimately susceptible to the coronavirus, urging to follow health guidelines that include maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing.

Denmark has so far seen 35,436 Covid-19 cases with 679 deaths.