In place of the normal pleas for blood drives, now donors who have had coronavirus are specifically being asked to help.
Recovered COVID-19 patients are needed to help fight the virus. LifeSouth, a community-based blood supplier in Georgia, says the need for convalescent plasma, or the part of the blood that has recovered from a virus, has increased 500% since April and continues to rise as the virus spreads.
Because previous COVID-19 patients develop antibodies in the blood against the virus, their donations are now even more important.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, those antibodies have the ability to neutralize or kill the virus. “Convalescent plasma therapy provides antibodies from those who have recovered from the virus to people who have recently contracted the virus so they may be better able to fight it off.”
LifeSouth is testing all blood donors for COVID-19 antibodies in search of donors who could also donate convalescent plasma. Healthy blood donors who may have been exposed to the virus or recovered from it, are asked to donate.
Convalescent plasma donors must be fully recovered from COVID-19 and symptom free for two weeks prior to giving blood.
LifeSouth says other blood donors are still needed, as well, especially as blood drives have been cancelled at schools and businesses. Type 0 is especially needed.
LifeSouth says their bloodmobiles and donor centers are taking extra safety and cleaning precautions to protect donors. To donate, or for more information, go to lifesouth.org or call 888-795-2707.
