In order to donate the plasma at the Nebraska Community Blood Bank, a person has to have a positive COVID-19 test result or an antibody test result from a doctor, and must meet federal FDA blood donor requirements. Those are good health, at least 17 years old, or 16 with written parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds, be free of antibiotics for 24 hours, unless taken for preventative reasons, and symptom-free for at least 72 hours following a cold or flu. Donating plasma is much the same process as donating whole blood, Busta said, but takes a little longer because the plasma is separated from the blood at the time, and the blood without the plasma is returned to the donor. People who had significant symptoms are the best donors because more antibody titers — the presence and amount of antibodies within a person's blood, and diversity of antibodies that correlates to the strength of the body's immune response — will be more useful, said Dr. Jed Gorlin, vice president and medical director of the Nebraska Community Blood Bank.

Source: Daily Sun May 17, 2020 00:56 UTC