News

As COVID-19 infection rates continue to increase both nationally and locally, The Community Blood Center (CBC) is urging those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the last six months to donate COVID-19 convalescent plasma. The need is urgent as the national supply of COVID-19 convalescent plasma is depleting rapidly. The available supply is anticipated to only last another few weeks.

Convalescent plasma is the plasma collected from someone who has recovered from the COVID-19 infection. This plasma can then be used to potentially treat patients battling COVID-19. COVID-19 convalescent plasma has been attributed to saving more than 100,000 lives and decreasing the mortality rate for those suffering from COVID-19 by about 50%. Convalescent plasma is one of the only treatment options available for COVID-19.

“Those recovered from COVID-19 play a unique and vital role in the fight against the virus,” said Kristine Belanger, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Operations, The Community Blood Center. “We’re in a critical state. There is concern over the availability of plasma and we need to ensure our local community has access to this healthcare resource. We need recovered COVID-19 patients to come forward to help make this possible.”

CBC began collecting convalescent plasma in April 2020. As COVID-19 hospitalizations and infection rates began to decrease in March 2021, so did the demand for convalescent plasma. CBC is once again seeing higher demand for this treatment option as infection rates increase and is now resuming collection of this blood component. The request for COVID-19 convalescent plasma by Midwest hospitals served by CBC has increased by four-fold in the last two weeks. Hospitals served by CBC have indicated they expected that increase to continue.

Those interested in donating convalescent plasma must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Have had COVID-19 within the last six months
  • Donors must have a documented positive medical diagnostic test confirming the COVID-19 infection. This documentation will need to be provided upon scheduling.
• COVID-19 vaccine status: unvaccinated or post-infection
  • Donors must be either unvaccinated or have received the COVID-19 vaccine after recovering from the COVID-19 infection
• Be fully recovered from COVID-19
  • Donors must be symptom-free for at least 14 days prior to donation.

Those who meet these eligibility requirements are encouraged to complete the convalescent plasma donor form, available at communityblood.org or call (800) 280-4102.