Men who beat virus urged to donate plasma
IT HAS COVID-FIGHTING ANTIBODIES FOR THOSE STRUGGLING TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN IMMUNITY
MEN who have had coronavirus symptoms are being urged to donate plasma due to a shortage of male donors in Leicester.
The NHS has put out a call for men in Leicester who have had the virus, or its symptoms, to volunteer to donate blood plasma to help others with the virus recover.
More than 3,731 people in and around Leicester have volunteered to donate, but only one third of them are men - and the NHS says it needs more male donors.
Plasma from people who have recovered can be transfused into people who are still unwell and struggling to develop their own immunity. The plasma contains virus-fighting antibodies which could stop coronavirus spreading and save lives.
Men are judged to be more valuable donors because they are three times more likely to have a high level of virus-fighting antibodies in their plasma than women.
This is partly because men generally produce more antibodies, but also because on average they are more seriously affected by the virus.
Men also generally have larger veins and a larger volume of blood in their circulation, meaning they are more likely to meet the donation requirements on the day. To date, around 17,000 donations have been taken nationally, including 311 donations at the Leicester donor centre.
NHS Blood and Transplant’s Clinical Trials Unit is joining together on the trial with the Recovery and Remp-Cap platform trials, due to take place later this year.
Plasma is being collected and stored at a large scale so that if the trials show patient benefit.
Professor Dave Roberts, associate director for blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We’re not sure why fewer men than women are offering to donate in Leicester but we need men who have coronavirus symptoms to come forward and offer to donate.
“You don’t need to have had had a positive test – if you had the symptoms, we want to hear from you, as all donations are tested.
“Please help the NHS fight Covid19 by donating. It is safe and easy, and you could save lives.”
Convalescent plasma is being collected at 23 donor centres around the country, and several pop-up donor centres, including Leicester donor centre.
Donation takes about 45 minutes. The body usually replaces the plasma you’ve donated in 24-48 hours.
The body quickly replaces the donated antibodies and people can donate plasma as often as every two weeks.
You can offer to donate plasma at: nhsbt.nhs.uk