ToddyHill said:
SoulSlave,..
Would greatly appreciate your thoughts. I've been donating a double unit of platelets for a long time (I'm B- and negative for the Cytomegalovirus). I'm happy to donate as I assume over the years some of my platelets have found their way into little kiddos with cancer.
This past May, I was diagnosed with Covid. I'm fortunate that my lungs were fine, but I had all the other symptoms. After I cleared, I began to donate platelets. The blood bank (Medic in Knoxville) assured me they'd contact me after testing my blood so that I could donate plasma. The call never came. I donated a double in December, and expressed my frustration to the phlebotomist that I'd not been contacted. She pulled my record and it shows no antibodies.
Two days ago, I see my PA for a BP checkup, and I tell her about my experience at Medic. She tells me in some people the antibodies only last for three months.
Not holding you to the fire, but would you consider sharing your thoughts?
By the way, I donated another double unit today at Medic, and they no longer test for the antibodies. I wonder why?
By the way, thanks for what you do.
Happy to share awesome you are a baby donor an dthat you give platelets. Very much needed product!
In regards to antibodies, we haven't seen s large amount of convalescent plasma donors that eventually test negative for antibodies. However, I am one of the few like you who no longer test positive. My antibodies lasted until October, about 5 months.
We aren't sure why some last longer than others, but we also aren't really studying that as well.
I think I remember hearing about your struggle to get enrolled for plasma. Unfortunately being a new product line, some blood banks struggled to get the resources and regulations worked through timely, causing those issues.
In regards to current testing- the testing is expensive and now, it takes 2 tests to be able to label as convalescent plasma. We are continuing antibody testing through st least July, just because of demand in Texas for ccp. We have to keep finding new antibody positive donors to covert. They may hve a different experience in your area, and/or they have found another larger blood bank to import the product from for their hospitals.
I really want to share some of our data with you all, but our docs have it on lock down until they complete their research. Everything I share is just the preliminary reports they are giving us.