SALISBURY – A local blood bank is seeking plasma donations from those who have recovered from COVID-19.
Last month, Blood Bank of Delmarva joined several blood centers across the country to increase the nation’s supply of convalescent plasma by collecting donations from those who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat other patients with advanced COVID-19 infections.
“We’re proud to partner with leading medical institutions from Delmarva and beyond in developing this potential treatment,” said Beth Shaz, chief medical and scientific officer at New York Blood Center Enterprises. “If this treatment proves to be effective, we are prepared to quickly scale our process and activate our network to serve hospitals nationwide.”
Using convalescent plasma treatment, the patient is transfused with the donor’s plasma with the goal of using the donor’s antibodies to help clear the virus more rapidly. On March 24 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the collection of plasma from individuals who have recovered from coronavirus to treat seriously ill patients, and Blood Bank of Delmarva will now join in this effort.
Blood Bank of Delmarva is an operating division of the New York Blood Center, one of the largest independent blood centers in the world. Andrea Cefarelli, the New York Blood Center’s senior executive director, said the nonprofit anticipates collecting convalescent plasma donations from local communities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Rhode Island as the pandemic continues.
“The use of plasma is not new,” she said, “but early indications from hospitals that are using it show it is shortening the recovery time for COVID-19 patients.”
Cefarelli said each convalescent donor can produce enough plasma for two or three patients. She explained they can also donate up to eight times in a three-month period.
“Very often we are not scheduling one appointment, but three or eight of them at a time,” she said.
Blood Bank of Delmarva will collect and process the plasma for infusion and maintain a bank for hospitals to treat patients with serious and life-threatening COVID-19 infections.
Eligible donors must have documentation of a lab-confirmed positive test for COVID-19 and must be symptom free for at least 14 days. For more information, or to register to donate, visit delmarvablood.org.
“We typically call donors within 24 hours and schedule at one of the donation centers,” Cefarelli said.
Cefarelli also encouraged individuals who are healthy to donate blood during this time. Citing the cancellation of blood drives and the return of elective surgeries in some areas, she said supply is low.
“The need for blood has bounced back, but we are only collecting in donor centers …,” she said. “Right now, there’s a critical shortage of type O-negative blood, the universal donor.”
Blood Bank of Delmarva has extended hours at its collection sites and are urging healthy donors to make appointments, according to a recent press release. Blood collection sites are disinfected frequently and are taking extra precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Around 40 percent of our incoming blood supply was interrupted when schools, businesses and religious institutions closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. In response, we’ve increased capacity at our donor centers by extending hours and opening for extra days each week,” said Christopher Hillyer, president and CEO of Blood Bank of Delmarva. “These modifications will provide controlled, safe environments for healthy donors.”
