'You could save lives': Covid survivors in Shropshire urged to donate plasma for trials
Covid survivors in Shropshire are being urged to donate plasma for medical trials looking at whether it is an effective treatment for the virus.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) wants to reassure people discharged from hospital during the coronavirus second wave that plasma donation is safe.
New figures show that donors who have been hospitalised have very high antibody levels, and their antibody levels stay higher for longer.
However, only around five per cent of the hospitalised donors contacted are currently agreeing to make an appointment to donate.
Feedback shows some people are anxious about going back into a medical environment and some worry donation will affect their antibody levels.
The donations are needed for NHSBT’s collaborations with the RECOVERY and REMAP-CAP trials, which will provide answers on whether plasma is an effective treatment for Covid-19.
People who were hospitalised have made up less than five per cent of the donors so far, but 19 per cent of the donations with high enough antibodies for use in the trials.
Men who were hospitalised make the very best plasma donors.
On first donation or sample, recent tests showed they had high enough antibody levels for the trials 61 per cent of the time, compared to 10 per cent for all donors.
Lise Estcourt, head of the NHSBT's clinical trials unit, is encouraging people to come forward to donate and says it could help save lives.
She said: “The latest analysis shows people who had hospital care make our best donors.
"They have the highest antibody levels and their antibodies stay higher for longer.
“We understand some people who’ve had hospital care might be nervous coming back into an environment with a medical atmosphere.
"Our teams are specially trained to make people feel welcome and many donors tell us the staff are the best part about donating.
Lives
“We can reassure people that donation does not affect how your antibody levels change over time.
"Your body quickly replaces the donated plasma and antibodies and it does not affect antibody levels in the long term.
"By donating, you could save lives.”
The plasma arm of the RECOVERY trial is the world’s largest randomised control trial of convalescent plasma and the results could now come before the end of the year.
Donations are taken at NHSBT’s 23 blood donor centres and a further 19 pop-up plasma donor centres.
It takes about 45 minutes to donate.
Anyone who has had confirmed coronavirus, or the symptoms, can volunteer to donate plasma.
For more details visit www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/how-you-can-help/convalescent-plasma-clinical-trial
