Covid-19: Who Is a Plasma Donor?

Convalescent plasma therapy or plasma therapy uses plasma, the yellowish liquid part of the blood. Plasma is extracted from an individual who has recovered from an infection and injected into a patient who is suffering from that disease. Plasma therapy is widely sought after as plasma contains antibodies that can help a patient fight the pathogen and recover from the disease.

In India, in an effort to help patients get treated for coronavirus infection, plasma therapy is highly being practiced. Moreover, people who have recovered from Covid-19 infection are being requested to donate plasma so that coronavirus patients get a boost in their ability to fight the virus.

Data from small clinical trials and a national access program suggest that convalescent plasma may reduce the severity or shorten the duration of Covid-19. However, whether convalescent plasma therapy will be an effective Covid-19 treatment requires more research. 

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If you too have recovered from Covid-19 infection and wish to donate plasma to the needy, go ahead and do so without any hesitation. In fact, you can also encourage others who have recovered from coronavirus to donate plasma and save lives. 

Take note that to be eligible for plasma donation, you will have to fit into the eligibility criteria in the first place. 

Here is a quick look at people who can be potential for donating plasma. 

Who Can Donate Plasma? 

To become a plasma donor, there are multiple criteria that one should fit into. The eligibility criteria is as follows: 

1. Donors shall be aged between 18 to 60 years
2. Donors should weigh at least 50 Kg
3. Should have recovered from Covid and tested negative
4. Should possess no Covid symptoms at least 14 days before donation
5. Should have tested non-reactive for transmissible viruses including HIV and Hepatitis
6. Female donors must not have conceived in past
7. Should not have Diabetes or High Blood Pressure
8. Donor should not have received plasma themselves
9. Donors should not donate plasma more than twice a month

Benefits of Plasma Donation

By donating plasma, you not only help other Covid-19 patients, but yourself as well. How? Let’s find out!

Key advantages of plasma donation as per the American Red Cross include:

• Healthy blood pressure, blood volume, a proper pH balance
• Optimum supply of proteins that support blood clotting
• Optimum supply of proteins that support immune system responses
• Optimum supply of electrolytes that support proper muscle function

Go ahead and donate plasma if you have recovered for Covid-19. Don’t forget, a small effort from your side can save up to three lives. 

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.