COVID-19 vaccine could impact convalescent plasma donations

Only people who have recovered from COVID-19 can donate convalescent plasma to help hospitalized patients fight the virus.

But there’s one change that’s making that pool of donors ineligible to give plasma right now.

VIRUS.

ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVERECOVERED FROM CORONAVIRUS CDONATE CONVALESCENT PLASMA.BUT AS W-P-T-V NEWSCHANNELFIVE'S MICHELLE QUESADAEXPLAINS, A NEW RULE MAKES ITIMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE DONORSGIVE PLASMA RIGHT NOW.STEPHANIE TOMASIMI - DONATEDCONVALESCENT PLASMA 11:48:58THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I WASLUCKY TO GET THROUGH SO IT WASTO ME IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GIVEBACK TO THE COMMUNITY.STEPHANIE TOMASIMI SPENTCHRISTMAS DAY WITH THOSECLOSEST TO HERHER CHILDREN&.

THE NEXT DAYSHE HAD A FEVERPERSISTED FOR SEVERL DAYS& SHETESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-1911:46:45 IT WAS A MILD CASETHANKFULLY AND KNEWIMMEDIATELY SHE WANTED TODONATE CONVALESCENT PLASMA.TOMASIMI 11:48:32 ITHAT THE TREATMENTS DO WORKFOR PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL ANDHELP LESSEN THE SYMPTOMS AND IJUST WANTED TO DO MY PART.

BUTWHEN SHE DONATED CONVALESCENTPLASMA AT ONEBLOOD IN JANUARY- TOMASIMI 11:47:11 I WASASKING THEM, I CAN GIVE EVERY28 DAYS AND HEIF YOU GET THE VACCINE AND ISAID WHT DO YOU MEAN EVENTHOUGH THE F-D-A IS ALLOWINGPEOPLE WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROMCOVID-19 AND RECEIVE THEVACCINE TO DONATE CONVALESCENTPLASMA - SUSAN FORBES WITHONEBLOOD SAYS THE ORGANIZATIONIS NOT READY TO COLLECT FROMTHAT POOL OF DONORS JUST YET.SUSAN FORBES - SENIOR VP OFCORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS,ONEBLOOD 0:49 IT REQUIRESPROCESS CHANGES AND US TOIMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL COMPUTERSOFTWARE UPGRADES TO OURSYSTEM IN LIGHT OF THOSECHANGES.

WEQUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO PUTTHOSE IN PLACE ME ASKINGQUESTION 0:24 IS THERE ANYCONCERN THAT THERE MAY BE ADEPLETION IN THE SUPPLY OFPLASMA RIGHT NOW BECAUSEYOUCOLLECTIONS FOR THOSE WHO HAVERECEIVED THE VACCINE?

FORBES2;35 ITS STILL A SMALLPERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE THATWEIMPACTED BY THIS RECENT CHANGEIN ELIGIBILITY.

STAND UP12:10:35.

IF YOU HAD COVID 19AND HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THEPFIZER OR MODERNA VACCINE -ONE BLOOD SAYS YOU CAN STILLDONATE BLOOD AND HELP PATIENTSIN NEED RIGHT NOW FORBES SAIDTHERE IS NO TIMELINE RIGHT NOWFOR WHEN ONEBLOOD WILL STARTCOLLECTING PLASMA FROMVACCINATED DONORS.

WITHVACCINE AVAILABILITY FOR THEGENERAL POPULATION A FEWMONTHS AWAYSHE HOPES OTHER PEOPLE LIKEHER WILL KEEP DONATING EVERY28 DAYS.

TOMASIMI 11:49:33 IA VERY QUICK PROCESS AND YOUKNOW UM LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR IAM MY BROTHERMICHELLE QUESADA WPTV NC