Can I Still Give Plasma, Having Just Had Covid 19?

Plasma is a component of whole blood that helps the body in numerous ways. Plasma is responsible for carrying vital elements around the body, like red and white blood cells, platelets, antibodies, and proteins. Without enough plasma, your body simply wouldn’t be able to function.

Plasma is also a carrier of antibodies, transporting them to parts of the body where they are needed to fight infection. An antibody is a protein produced in response to an antigen, a toxic alien substance that triggers an immune system response.

You might think that having Covid-19 excludes you from donating plasma, but that’s not the case. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, data emerged that people who had recovered from Covid-19 might be able to help others with serious forms of Covid-19 infection by donating antibody-rich plasma.

On April 16, the FDA released a memo calling for patients who had fully recovered from Covid-19 to donate at plasma donation centers for blood-related treatments for those suffering from the infection.

Plasma is used to treat a wide range of infections by providing a patient with a dose of antibody-rich plasma, and helping patients fight Covid-19 may work similarly. Covid-19 antibody-rich plasma could help lessen the severity and shorten the length of duration of the infection in some people.

When you donate, some of your plasma is always taken and tested for viruses that could potentially harm the recipient, such as HIV. In the case of Covid-19 patients, the plasma would also be tested for antibodies, which would then be separated and infused into the patient's bloodstream.

However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a statement that there is insufficient supporting evidence from well-controlled trials to demonstrate that plasma from Covid-19 survivors can help people currently suffering from the infection. So more study is needed before this is a real option.

Even though plasma can’t yet help patients with Covid-19, there’s a wide range of conditions and diseases that plasma can help with. You must wait at least 28 days following a negative Covid-19 test to visit a donation center. Make sure you feel well and don’t come to the center if you have Covid-19 symptoms.

Covid-19 can take a toll on your body, even if you are healthy. Make sure you eat a healthy balanced diet with lots of protein and iron and drink your recommended daily water intake, especially when recovering from a Covid-19 infection and in the lead-up to any plasma donation. Find out what you should and shouldn’t do before donating plasma and what side effects from plasma donation to expect in our blog.