Do I have Lutheran Blood and COVID-19

Do I have Lutheran Blood and COVID-19

Blood Types and COVID-19

https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/06/18/genes-blood-type-tied-to-covid-19-risk-of-severe-disease/

Does your blood type have anything to do with COVID-19?

According to the linked article from the National Institutes of Health, it does.

“The findings suggest that people with blood type A face a 50 percent greater risk of needing oxygen support or a ventilator should they become infected with the novel coronavirus. In contrast, people with blood type O appear to have about a 50 percent reduced risk of severe COVID-19.”

“The hope is that these and other findings yet to come will point the way to a more thorough understanding of the biology of COVID-19. They also suggest that a genetic test and a person’s blood type might provide useful tools for identifying those who may be at greater risk of serious illness.”

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Now, these are preliminary tests - nothing final yet.  Scientific research on health issues seems to take years - from the first study, to duplicate studies, to related research and finally to promulgation of the findings 

As a person with blood type O (specifically O Positive), can I relax?  Do I have to wear a mask since I don’t have as much risk? 

Another researcher reminds us “says blood types may not totally predict an individual’s risk of contracting the coronavirus.”

In general, risk factors for more severe COVID-19 outcomes include:

Age

Diabetes (type 1 and type 2)

Heart disease and hypertension

Smoking

Blood type

Obesity

Genetic factors 

So, an 85-year-old with diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, who still smokes and has “A” type blood and is 100-pounds overweight - better stay inside!!!  (And, stop smoking, try to lose weight, and take their blood pressure medications!!)

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I found this interesting.  Blood types were discovered in 1901 - by an Austrian-American and were labeled A, B, and O.  Studies after that revealed a type AB.  And then in 1940, the Rh system of positives and negatives was discovered.

And, if this wasn’t enough, there are variations within these groups: Other blood groups were identified later, such as Kell, Diego, Lutheran, Duffy, and Kidd.  I looked up the Lutheran blood group link to see this: “There are 19 known Lutheran antigens”.

And, why is the Lutheran Blood group called “Lutheran”?  Anti-Lua was named after the donor Lutheran – except that the donor was not actually named Lutheran, but was in fact called Lutteran. However, the handwriting of the doctor who had taken the donor’s blood had been misinterpreted”.  So, if you are, or know of friends who are of the Lutheran Christian denomination, having the “Lutheran Blood Type” is not at all related to the Lutheran Church!!!

The New Living Translation of Psalm 139:14 says: “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

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My take-away from today is that scientists/researchers are looking at a lot of factors in COVID-19 - and have found a relationship between blood type and the severity of the symptoms.  

I assume (though I haven’t seen this), that if a vaccine is created for COVID-19, that it will NOT be dependent on blood type - but who knows?  So, at the vaccination clinic, all the As line up; the Bs, the ABs, and the Os to get a different version of the vaccine!!!  That sounds strange to me!!

More on COVID-19 tomorrow!!

Hugs!!

Karen