COVID-19: Blood Disorder? Thoughts

I had a couple of thoughts after reading this article that has the idea that COVID-19 may be carried through the body by blood vessels.

• Wasn’t there some earlier research that explored the different blood types’ susceptibility to COVID-19? I wonder if there is some link to antigen activity here – the same reason some blood types are not tolerable by each other – an immune system recognition link.

• If the article is correct, and it’s exacerbated by blood vessel activity – might we have to take some additional precautions? Such as – being very careful not to blow your nose too hard? Checking up on people who are susceptible to nose bleeds? Some people get nosebleeds as part of things like premenstrual activity. What about seasonal conditions – the cold, often-dry air of winter? People’s nasal passages can be more susceptible to bleeding in such circumstances. Especially if they are blowing their nose hard, and/or they have another respiratory infection, and they are blowing their nose because of that. Could that be another COVID-19 risk factor? Would we need to prescribe ways of lubricating the nasal passages to decrease vulnerability in this way? Simple things like petroleum jelly or saline sprays, if used properly, for instance.

• Might we have to screen for COVID-19 in blood donations? Even if people have the antibodies – and our ability to test for that is limited right now – we aren’t seeing that it necessarily makes people immune to getting it again. If anything, if my idea about antigen activity is right, could it theoretically exacerbate the lack of acceptance of blood donations in people who haven’t been infected by COVID-19 yet? Would we have to screen for it the same way we screen for HIV?

Just some thoughts here – I am not a doctor or a medical researcher. If my thoughts inspire someone who is more knowledgeable about such things than I am, all the better.