Coronavirus: More people eligible to donate plasma, CBC says

More donors can now qualify to help coronavirus patients through the COVID-10 Convalescent Plasma Program at the Community Blood Center.

“Our CCP donors want to help COVID-19 patients and many have donated their plasma multiple times,” said Dr. James Alexander, CBC’s medical director. “But we have a limited number of donors. Our hope is that by qualifying more donors through antibody testing we can help meet this increasing need for CCP.”

Convalescent plasma is considered an experimental treatment, but the antibody-rich plasma has proven effective in helping severely ill COVID-19 patients recover. The recent resurgence of COVID-19 hospitalizations has increased demand and blood centers around the country have been asked to double their plasma collection.

Dayton-based Community Blood Center was the first in Ohio to collect convalescent plasma when it began the CCP program on April 6. The program has been limited to donors who tested positive to COVID-19 by the RNA nasal swab test and were no longer contagious.

The program is now open to donors who have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies by blood test. They must be symptom free for 28 days.

From April through June CBC has collected 120 CCP donations and processed 270 CCP doses to supply CBC’s partner hospitals and answer requests from blood centers and hospitals outside the region. Each CCP donation can treat up to three patients. CCP donors are eligible to donate again after 14 days.

Learn more about the requirements and register to donate at www.GivingBlood.org or call 937-461-3220.

In Other News

Community compost station now available at 2nd Street Market in Dayton

Miguel’s Tacos returns to original spot in Yellow Springs

Kings Island completes first test run of new Snoopy roller coaster

Bellbrook’s Sugar Maple Festival returns this weekend

2 restaurants in Dayton region delay April openings

About the Author

Jen Balduf