CHRISTIANA — Blood Bank of Delmarva is calling for recovered COVID-19 patients to donate blood plasma to help treat other patients with advanced illness. In the treatment, known as convalescent plasma, the patient is transfused with the donor’s plasma with the goal of using the donor’s antibodies to help clear the virus more rapidly and help decrease the need for ICU beds and ventilators.

BBD is now increasing the nation’s supply of convalescent plasma by collecting donations from those who have recovered from COVID-19. BBD will collect, process the plasma for infusion, and maintain a bank for hospitals to treat patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections.

“As COVID-19 has impacted areas across the country, we are collecting convalescent plasma from those who have recovered in order to treat patients currently fighting this terrible disease,” said Christopher D. Hillyer, MD, President and CEO, of New York Blood Center. “Our Blood Centers are collecting and maintaining a robust public bank of convalescent plasma in order to serve hospitals in the area and all around the nation. If you have recovered from the coronavirus, please come in and donate so we can treat more patients.”

Donors must have tested positive for COVID-19 and be symptom-free for 14 days. One donation can be used to treat two to three patients struggling with severe cases of COVID-19. Interested donors can sign up at www.delmarvablood.org/cpdonor.

To learn more about BBD’s efforts to collect convalescent plasma, please visit delmarvablood.org/plasmaforcovid19.