It’s been about two months since the COVID-19, also known as Sars-CoV-2, outbreak has started, and it’s still the only thing that most of us are talking about throughout the day.
xxx Newly Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Announced.
COVID-19 Cases Reach All-Time High At xxx.
Panic Buying Across All Countries Have Started In Fear Of COVID-19 Outbreak.
I’m sure these are all headlines that you can probably recall seeing.
As if all of us aren’t panicking enough over the highly contagious and deadly virus, here’s another one that will probably make you go:
New Study Alleges That People with Blood Type A Might be More Vulnerable to Coronavirus
According to a preliminary study of COVID-19 patients in China, people with blood type A might apparently be more vulnerable to the virus than other blood types, while those with blood type O are more resistant to it.
More than 2,000 COVID-19 patients in Wuhan and Shenzhen had their blood samples examined, and it was found that those with blood type A had a higher rate of infection and usually developed more severe symptoms.
What Does This Mean?
Even though this study is still in its preliminary stages and still requires a lot more evidence to back the data up, researchers have asked governments and medical facilities around the world to at least consider the blood type differences when planning mitigation measures or treating COVID-19 patients.
The researchers led by Wang Xinghuan with the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University 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.”
A paper they published on Medrxiv.org on 11 March stated that “blood group O had a significantly lower risk for the infectious disease compared with non-O blood groups”.
They analysed the data of the 206 patients who died from the virus in Wuhan and found that 85 of the patients had blood type A, while only 52 had blood type O. This was a significant 63% more, and the pattern existed across different age and gender groups.
Wang wrote, “It might be helpful to introduce ABO blood typing in both patients and medical personnel as a routine part of the management of Sars-CoV-2 and other coronavirus infections, to help define the management options and assess risk exposure levels of people.”
It was also noted in previous studies that blood type difference has been observed in other infectious diseases like hepatitis B and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).
Should We Believe The Study?
While the study was conducted by scientists and doctors from cities all over China, the initial epicentre of the virus outbreak, it has not been peer-reviewed yet.
Furthermore, there could be dangers that are not explicitly mentioned if this study used as a guide for current clinical practice.
When asked for her opinion on the study, Gao Yingdai, a researcher with the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Haematology in Tianjin explained that the study could be much better or even more accurate if a larger sample size was used instead.
While 2,000 patients was not a small amount, it is definitely not a significant amount considering the fact that there are now more than 180,000 people infected worldwide. As such, it would not be fair to say that the sample size used is very appropriate.
Gao also revealed that the study did not give a clear explanation of the molecular interaction between the virus and the different types of blood cells. As such, there isn’t enough information on the phenomenon to give a conclusive statement.
Should I Be Worried?
I have blood type A! What am I going to do?
First of all, remain calm.
Gao said that while the new study “may be helpful to medical professionals”, it’s probably a better idea that “ordinary citizens” do not “take the statistics too seriously.”
She also reassured everyone by saying: “If you are type A, there is no need to panic. It does not mean you will be infected 100%. If you are type O, it does not mean you are absolutely safe, either. You still need to wash your hands and follow the guidelines issued by authorities.”
Moral Of The Story
It doesn’t matter what blood type you have. Everyone has the social responsibility to take the necessary precautions so as to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Even though governments around the world are trying their best to impose measures to ensure this, we still have a part to play. After all, it takes two hands to clap.
So if you’re not feeling well, please call your doctor in advance to tell him the symptoms you are feeling, and minimise contact with others.
Everyone should also practise social distancing during this period. We all know it’s tough, but hey, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?
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