Blood Assurance needs convalescent plasma

♦ Survivors’ donations will be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

Community nonprofit blood center Blood Assurance is collecting plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 donors to be used as an investigational treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. As the demand for this treatment increases in hospitals across their service area, Blood Assurance is in desperate need for more plasma donors.

Blood Assurance has a blood donation center at 2720 Lafayette Road in Fort Oglethorpe.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma is an FDA investigational treatment where plasma is transfused from a recovered COVID-19 donor into a current COVID-19 patient.

Blood Assurance is collecting, processing and sending the donated plasma to hospitals where it is given to patients.

“We are seeing a spike in demand for this potentially life-saving treatment from hospitals across the nation and right here in our communities,” said Dr. Elizabeth Culler, medical director at Blood Assurance. “We need donors who meet the requirements to give convalescent plasma for our patients in need.”

To donate convalescent plasma for patients in need, donors must have been officially diagnosed with COVID-19, must pass all standard requirements to give plasma and must be symptom free for 14 days.

To see if you meet requirements to be a convalescent plasma donor or if you are a clinician interested in convalescent plasma, Blood Assurance urges you to visit www. bloodassurance.org/covidplasma.

Blood Assurance offers information in Spanish as well. If you would like to speak to a Spanish representative regarding convalescent plasma, call 423-752-8459.

If you believe you had COVID-19 but did not get tested, you may donate whole blood and receive an antibody test free of charge, in lieu of a donor gift. If you test positive

We are seeing a spike in demand for this potentially lifesaving treatment from hospitals across the nation and right here in our communities. We need donors who meet the requirements to give convalescent plasma for our patients in need.”

for the antibodies, you could be a candidate for donating convalescent plasma.

To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids — avoiding caffeine — and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.

About Blood Assurance

Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving health care facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia. Founded in 1972 as a joint effort of the Chattanoogahamilton County Medical Society, the Chattanooga Area Hospital Council and the Chattanooga Jaycees, the mission of Blood Assurance is to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood components to every area patient in need.