The Community Blood Center (CBC) is asking fully recovered COVID-19 patients to be a part of the solution to the global pandemic and donate their plasma. Plasma is a component of blood that CBC regularly collects from volunteer donors. Convalescent plasma is the plasma collected from someone who has recovered from the infection. It can then be used to potentially treat patients with severe cases of COVID-19. CBC, in partnership with other industry leaders like America’s Blood Centers, is responding to the call for convalescent plasma.
“We have an opportunity to directly treat patients who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus,” said Dr. Todd Straus, CBC Chief Medical Officer. “However, it relies on individuals who have previously been diagnosed and have since recovered. We need these people in our community to come forward and donate plasma.”
CBC is calling on all fully recovered COVID-19 patients to consider donating plasma that could be used for the medical treatments being requested by hospitals and treating physicians. Potential eligible donor criteria includes:
•Confirmed COVID-19 infection by a medical test.
•No longer has symptoms of COVID-19.
•Must meet all regular blood donor criteria.
If you are a recovered COVID-19 patient and are interested in learning more, please call (800) 280-4102 or complete the online form at: www.communityblood.org/covid-19-blood-donation.
“If you’ve had this infection, you know how terrible it is,” Dr. Straus said. “You now have the unique opportunity to help someone else dealing with what you just overcame. We need your help because you could possibly help a patient in need.”
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, patients in local hospitals still rely on transfusions for ongoing medical treatments. CBC is the sole supplier of all blood and blood components to more than 20 local hospitals. Blood is still needed for cancer patients, necessary surgeries and emergencies. Healthy and eligible individuals, including first-time donors, are encouraged to schedule an appointment at www.communityblood.org or by calling (800)280-4102.