Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1235208
22 ascp skin deep COVID-19 special issue 2020 TRUE OR FALSE? There is a conspiracy to remove civil liberties and COVID-19 is the excuse This is not a scientific issue, and some may query why I have listed it here. Conspiracy deserves a column of its own, as it is perhaps one of the most common opinions currently circulating, expressed in various forms by healthy skeptics and conspiracy theorists alike. It is important in this context, firstly because those who still doubt the reality of COVID-19 may also be those more resistant to following official guidance on physical distancing and quarantining, leading to additional infections. Secondly, questions are being raised across society as to the practicability and ethics of long- term quarantining, as well as whether it will actually make a difference. The answer to conspiracy theorists lies in economic and political reality: it is in nobody's interest to crash worldwide economies and break social cohesion in infection and need for hospitalization. The sample of people used in the study were all in the "severe" or "critical" disease category (or deceased), therefore it is unclear whether Type A blood groups were more susceptible to infection, or to severe disease. The omission of all these elements can lead to overwhelming bias within a study, making the results far less reliable than the report initially suggests. Further, surprisingly, rhesus blood type was not included in the study, which could have revealed significant data. And lastly, the use of the word significantly higher or lower, while commonly used to discuss scientific statistics, is easy for lay readers to misinterpret as "important." In scientific terminology, significance refers to whether something can statistically be assigned to chance or not. It is an either/ or binary category and not an indication of degree of importance. However, to judge by the pingbacks and links listed below the article since its publication on March 16, it appears that few science journalists have taken this into account. In short, though the article may provide findings of value to virology researchers and the interaction of pathogens and antiviral medication, it is the kind of material where great caution is needed. glance: a retrospective study comparing blood group distribution among 2,173 confirmed COVID-19 patients from three Chinese hospitals at the heart of the outbreak, with healthy people in the same regions. The paper concludes that: "People with blood group A have a significantly higher risk for acquiring COVID-19 compared with non-A blood groups, whereas blood group O has a significantly lower risk for the infection compared with non-O blood groups." It further notes that neither age nor gender appear to have any effect on the distribution. This article reads like breakthrough information until we take a closer look at some details. First, this is a pre-print release. It has not been peer reviewed or evaluated, as stated in the disclaimer at the top of the page. This should be a red flag for any reader. Second, if we examine the data presented by the authors in relation to the claims made in the conclusion of the paper, there seems to be a discrepancy between the numbers and the claims made. There are certain minor language issues that may be responsible for some unclear points, but the concluding statement is unequivocal, even though there are several gaps in the research and reporting. To begin with, we are not told the normal distribution of blood types across the general population of that region. Type O blood is the most common worldwide, therefore the authors' conclusion that Type A blood is overrepresented in the COVID-19 sample appears to be correct. 20 However, it is an easy point to overlook, giving rise to suggestions that the authors have misinterpreted the results—they do not seem to have, but it is expressed poorly. Secondly, no information is given regarding comorbidities (other illnesses), treatment choices, or exposure for the infected population, and there has been no consideration regarding the effect this may or may not have had on their exposure to