Thousands volunteer for virus project

Around 6,000 people who have recovered from COVID-19 have signed up to donate their blood plasma to see if it can help patients currently infected with the virus.

A call from the NHS for patients to come forward has led to around 6,000 people who tested positive for coronavirus – including more than 500 who were admitted to hospital.

Some have now begun donating their blood plasma in a process known as plasmapheresis, which uses a machine similar to that used in regular blood platelet donation.

The plasma from former patients is rich in the antibodies that develop as somebody recovers from an illness.

It will be transfused into people who are seriously ill with COVID-19 and struggling to develop their own antibodies.

Donors must have tested positive for the illness either at home or in hospital, but should now be three to four weeks into their recovery.

A donation session takes around 45 minutes to give two units of plasma, and can be repeated as regularly as every fortnight.

An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesman said: "This trial is world-leading research and these people are leading the way. "Plasma donation is safe and easy and you could help save the lives of others with coronavirus.

"We recognise some donors will have had a difficult experience and we will make everyone feel cared for and welcome.

"We're so grateful to everyone who wants to donate to try and help us to beat this pandemic."