Are people with blood group A more likely to get COVID-19?

There is some evidence that people with blood type A may have a slightly higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing more severe symptoms, but the difference is not large and there are many other factors that play a more important role.

Several studies have suggested that people with blood type A may be at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and more severe symptoms. An early study from China reported that blood type A was associated with a higher risk of infection, while blood type O was associated with a lower risk.

It is not yet fully understood why blood type might play a role in susceptibility to COVID-19. One hypothesis is that certain blood types differ in the expression of receptors that the virus uses to enter cells. Another possible explanation is that genetic variations associated with blood types may also influence how the immune system responds to the virus.

Although a statistical association was found, the differences in risk are relatively small. Other factors such as age, underlying health conditions, and exposure to the virus have a much greater impact on the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 and its severity.

People with blood group A do not need to take any additional measures beyond the generally recommended preventive measures such as social distancing, wearing face masks, and regular hand hygiene.

Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00709-022-01754-1

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2022-12-09 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025