Blood plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients in high demand at area hospitals

With hospitalizations due to COVID-19 on the rise, Bradenton area hospitals face a shortage of a potentially lifesaving substance.

Blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients contains antibodies that may help the most critically ill fight off the infection.

The antibodies could also help high risk patients, like those with heart disease or diabetes, avoid serious complications if they contract the coronavirus, according to Mayo Clinic.

The recent spike in COVID-19 cases is filling hospitals to capacity in Manatee County, and it has also put a strain on the supply of the precious convalescent plasma.

Local non-profit SunCoast Blood Centers collects and supplies the plasma and other blood products to area facilities, including Manatee Memorial Hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Doctors Hospital of Sarasota. At the end of June, their supply of the plasma dwindled to roughly a dozen doses, and now there is no reserve.

“As soon as it hits the shelves, it’s gone,” SunCoast spokeswoman Joan Leonard told the Bradenton Herald. “It’s imperative that we get it. People who have had the virus need to come in to donate.”

Leonard said that while the shortage is nationwide, one person can make a big difference. The plasma from one donation can produce up to four doses for COVID-19 patients. After 28 days, a donor can come back again.

“The spread of the virus in our state is nothing to be proud of,” Leonard said. “What we can be proud of is all the people who come out to help others.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved clinical trials and emergency use of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients earlier this year. While data on its effectiveness is still extremely limited, an early study at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found that hospitalized patients who received the plasma had a higher rate of survival.

“They keep asking for it, so I think we’ve seen some great results here locally,” Leonard said, adding that the FDA is currently compiling data on the treatment.

Plasma donation details

Patients who have been fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are encouraged to make a plasma donation. Per FDA guidelines, the donors must provide documentation of a positive COVID-19 test result. They also must be at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds. Sixteen-year-olds who have tested positive can donate with parent permission, according to Leonard.

Potential donors can call SunCoast Blood Centers at 941-993-8119 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, or send an email to covid19@suncoastblood.org to make an appointment.

For potential donors who think they had COVID-19 but were not tested, SunCoast Blood Centers are currently offering free COVID-19 antibody testing to anyone who donates blood through Aug. 31. Those who test positive will be encouraged to donate plasma, and they can do so as soon as a week later. Regular blood donations can be scheduled at 941-413-1011 or online at scbb.org.

Donation centers are located in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota and Venice.

OneBlood, another non-profit provider of blood services in Florida and the Southeast, is also collecting convalescent plasma from qualifying donors. Those interested can call 1-888-936-6283 or fill out a donation form at oneblood.org. OneBlood has two locations in Bradenton and one in Venice.