BOZEMAN — Do you know your blood type?
“There is some data that suggests that being O blood type does provide a little bit of protection, and that maybe your severity of disease is not going to be as great as a different blood type,” explained Dr. Kerrie Emerick, a pathologist with Bozeman Health.
But just because you have Type O does not mean you can’t get the virus or have severe effects.
“It doesn’t really affect hospitalization or death rates, and the other thing to remember is that your blood type might provide a slight bit of protection against COVID-19, but it doesn’t supersede other risk factors, including age and other comorbidities,” Dr. Emerick said.
But knowing your blood type is good information to know.
“You never know when you’re going to have an accident or need to know your blood type. If you donate blood, they’ll always tell you your blood type, so you can always go that route,” she said.
And there are other options.
“You’d have your doctor order a type, a blood type for you. You can always do that,” she explained.
So, overall, what are the positives of having a certain blood type as it relates to Covid?
“People who had O or B blood type actually had less severe disease. So, they required less mechanical ventilation. They required less renal dialysis, and their ICU stays were shorter,” said Dr. Emerick.
Again, regardless of your blood type you still need to take as many safety precautions as recommended.