No link between blood type and COVID-19 severity, Harvard researchers say 

A patient’s blood type does not influence whether he or she will have a more severe case of COVID-19, a study published in Annals of Hematology found.

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Researchers at Boston-based Harvard Medical School examined data on 1,289 symptomatic adults who tested positive for the COVID-19 at five Boston hospitals between March 6 and April 16. 

They found no meaningful correlation between blood type and clinical outcomes of severity, such as hospitalization, intubation or death. There was also no connection between blood type and inflammatory markers, which is significant as COVID-19 is widely thought to cause systemic inflammation in the body, researchers noted.

While blood type did not play a role in COVID-19 severity, it may influence an individuals’ chance of getting the virus. Researchers found patients with blood types B positive and AB positive were more likely to test positive for COVID-19. Patients with type O blood were less likely to have a positive result, which coincides with previous research on the topic. 

To view the full study, click here.

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