# Might risk of COVID severity be linked to blood type?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-risk-of-covid-severity-be-linked-to-blood-type/923153>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [October 17, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-risk-of-covid-severity-be-linked-to-blood-type/923153 "2020-10-17T03:32:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-risk-of-covid-severity-be-linked-to-blood-type/923153/1 "2020-10-17T03:32:48Z")

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There is some evidence that people with A, AB, or B blood types are more likely to have serious COVID infections than people with type O blood, which would explain in part why some ethnicities are more (or less) likely to get really sick or die.

This story is from a journal but is not written in technical jargeon.

> **[Possible Link Between Blood Type and COVID-19 - Hematology.org](https://www.hematology.org/newsroom/press-releases/2020/possible-link-between-blood-type-and-covid-19)**
>
> Possible Link Between Blood Type and COVID-19

And here’s another source.

> **[Studies offer new evidence for possible link between blood type and COVID-19...](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201014161544.htm)**
>
> New studies suggest people with blood type O may have a lower risk of COVID-19 infection and reduced likelihood of severe outcomes, including organ complications, if they do get sick.

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2020, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-risk-of-covid-severity-be-linked-to-blood-type/923153/2 "2020-10-17T08:26:25Z")

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> [@nearwildheaven](#):
>
> There is some evidence that people with A, AB, or B blood types are more likely to have serious COVID infections than people with type O blood,

The studies actually seem to show lower _infection_ rates in people with group O, but increased _severe_ outcomes in just the A and AB groups.

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2020, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-risk-of-covid-severity-be-linked-to-blood-type/923153/3 "2020-10-17T08:35:51Z")

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Also, just to mention that the Danish study in the first cite did not see a increase in mortality across blood groups once someone was infected, but that the (much smaller) study referenced as well in the second cite suggests there was.