Donors must meet certain criteria, including COVID illness and recovery within the last several months, so that antibodies will be relevant for newer variants of the virus.
As COVID cases rise again and new variants emerge, Magen David Adom’s national blood bank service is calling on generally healthy people who have been ill with COVID in the last three to four months to donate plasma. The blood component is needed for antibody treatment for patients who contract the virus and become seriously ill or are in danger of deteriorating because of a suppressed immune system.
Only people who confirmed they had COVID by doing a home test may donate. Donation is also restricted to men and women who have never been pregnant, as certain antibodies that often develop in pregnancy can be detrimental to the recipient of a plasma transfusion.
In addition, MDA is asking only for plasma donors who have fully recovered from COVID at least two weeks before their donation.
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