(RxWiki News) Those who have recovered from COVID-19 may be able to save lives.
How? By donating plasma.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), those who have recovered from the virus have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood. And those antibodies could help those who are currently infected to fight off the virus.
Although there isn't currently an FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment that uses convalescent plasma to fight the virus, the FDA noted that this potential method of treatment is being investigated. There is some evidence that the blood plasma of those who have recovered from COVID-19 could help others recover, the agency noted.
Interested in donating your plasma to potentially help others fight the virus? There are a few requirements to keep in mind:
You must have a previous COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed by a lab test.
You must be fully recovered (symptom-free) for 14 days before donating.
You must be eligible to donate blood.
The FDA has provided a list of resources to find out where to donate convalescent plasma near you.
The agency also noted that those who have not had COVID-19 can still save lives by donating blood. Disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic have placed stress on the supply of potentially lifesaving donated blood in the United States.
As coronavirus cases and deaths in the US continue to rise, health officials continue to investigate treatments and therapies like convalescent plasma and release new information as it becomes available.
If you have any questions, speak with your health care provider.
