From the start of the crisis, research was carried out to find out whether certain blood groups were more resistant to the virus than others. Surprisingly, the answer is positive. Chinese researchers from Shenzhen University revealed that people with blood type group O, would have 33% less chance of being infected. And unlike people in groups B and AB, people in group A would have an additional 20% risk of being infected. But whereas with the Omicron variant, the contamination rate exploded, is this news still relevant?
This is Jacques Le Pendu , research director at Inserm in Nantes in immunology, which has looked for a possible link between group O and "immunity". His study was published January 5, 2022 in Frontiers in Microbiology. “ We looked at what happens in a couple, infected and symptomatic, who share the same room, therefore for whom the risk of being infected is maximum, he explains. We asked not only their blood group but in which direction the virus is transmitted. What the study concludes is that in cases of incompatibility between the two spouses, the risk of the partner catching symptomatic Covid-19 is reduced by half . Clearly, if the person cannot give you their blood because of incompatibility, they have less chance of catching Covid.
Although people with type O are less likely to get it, they can still be Covid positive but have a better chance of recovering. "There is some data to support this, but it's only seen in patients who are at a very severe stage "says Jacques Le Pendu. There would be a protective asset in people of group O "which is only partial once again! If you're O, you still risk being hospitalized and going to sheave. But you have a better chance of getting out of it...and a little faster. "
It goes without saying that barrier gestures are useful for everyone. Regardless of our blood group, we must respect the health rules to avoid contamination. Indeed, other factors come into play when it comes to catching the virus. Age, diabetes, diseases… play a role in our relationship to the virus. In addition, the research director affirmed that these data were valid until the arrival of the Delta and Omicron variants. “ On this last variant, we have no data, recognizes the immunologist. I will not be surprised if faced with such a contagious virus, this protection disappears “, he said.
