COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Program

Donors who have fully recovered from the new coronavirus have antibodies in their blood plasma to help protect against future infections. Community Blood Center is working with the FDA to collect plasma from fully recovered coronavirus patients to provide to clinicians for patient care.

If you were tested, diagnosed and fully recovered from COVID-19, or have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, please visit the Community Blood Center Dayton website for more information and to register to donate plasma.

During a plasma donation, blood is drawn from an arm and sent through a high-tech machine that collects your plasma and then safely and comfortably returns your red cells and platelets back to you, along with some saline. It only takes a few minutes longer than donating blood.

When a person contracts a virus like COVID-19, their immune system creates antibodies to fight the virus. These antibodies are found in plasma, which is the liquid part of blood. Plasma with these infection-fighting antibodies is called "convalescent plasma." Through a blood donation process, this antibody-rich plasma can be collected from a recovered person, then transfused to a sick patient who is still fighting the virus. This provides a boost to the immune system of the sick patient and may help speed the recovery process.

According to the FDA, "It is not currently known if convalescent plasma will be an effective treatment against COVID-19." Since there are no known effective treatments, multiple options are under investigation by the scientific community. Some information suggests that convalescent plasma could help some coronavirus patients - non-intubated, hospitalized patients that are under 80 years of age, early within 72 hours of admission. Since plasma transfusions are generally safe for most patients, the FDA announced an initiative to investigate this as a treatment option. Community Blood Center is supportive of the FDA's efforts and is committed to assisting with plasma collections from carefully-screened recovered COVID-19 patients. The FDA recommendation is to treat patients with high titer CCP. Titers are typically highest immediately following recovery from the infection. Therefore, patients are highly encouraged to donate following resolution of symptoms.

Reid Health in partnership with Community Blood Bank is currently seeking those who have fully recovered from this new coronavirus to give convalescent plasma (CCP) for seriously ill coronavirus patients. CCP can only be collected from people after they have fully recovered from their illness, which is at least 14 days after they last exhibited any symptoms.

The donor then needs to qualify as a blood donor, and a collection needs to be scheduled. Currently, very few people meet the requirements necessary to be a CCP donor, but blood collectors, hospitals, and government authorities are working together to get as many qualified individuals as possible to step forward and become CCP donors.

In addition to the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 plasma, there are standard requirements that must be met for all blood donors (e.g. feeling well and healthy, age, weight, etc.).

Your local blood collection site will ensure you meet all necessary criteria before donating.

To donate, a person must:

• Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past
• Have fully recovered from COVID-19 illness
• Have been tested again and test negative for COVID-19 if it has been at least 14 days since their last symptom OR at least 28 days have passed since their last symptom in which case retesting is not required.
• In areas where antibody testing is available, proof of your exposure to and recovery from COVID-19 can be determined and the above criteria does not need to be met. However, the antibody testing is currently unavailable in much of the country.
• Not received CCP (or other transfusion) within the past 90 days.

If you meet the above criteria, please visit the Community Blood Center Dayton website for more information and to register to donate plasma.

Thank you for your willingness to help patients in need!

Thank you for your willingness to donate convalescent plasma to help patients. If you do not have a test confirming your diagnosis of COVID-19 (either by a nasal swab or antibody test), additional testing is required for you to be qualified as an eligible donor. Antibody testing is now available at Reid Health as self-referral for $65.

Yes! COVID-19 IgG antibody testing is available at Reid Health for $65. Typically, IgG antibodies develop approximately 14 days from onset of symptoms.

You can read about Reid Health's overall response to COVID-19 on our "Safe Pathways to Care" page.