El Pasoans Who’ve Recovered From COVID 19 Urged To Donate Plasma

Vitalant and local hospitals are urging individuals who have recovered from the novel coronavirus to donate convalescent plasma to help fight the COVID 19 virus.

El Paso hospitals, University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC), El Paso Children’s Hospital (EPCH) and Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso (TTP El Paso) have teamed up with Vitalant, to launch a program to treat COVID-19 patients with blood plasma donated by people who have recovered from the disease.

According to Vitalant – convalescent plasma is a blood component that contains antibodies that may give patients an extra boost to help fight the illness.

Vitalant along with UMC, EPCH, and TTP El Paso is working to identify willing donors who have recovered from COVID 19 to qualify for this type of donation.

Although scientists and medical experts are working around the clock to create a vaccine for COVID 19 –and trials for a vaccine are underway, it might be months before a vaccine is approved.

According to the Food and Drug Administration – it has identified and approved convalescent plasma treatment as an “emergency investigational new drug.” The new treatment is promising a sign of hope as it is the only antibody treatment available to COVID-19 patients.

Our local community can make a difference and help patients fight this disease with the assistance of willing recovered COVID-19 patients.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must have a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 and documented by a laboratory test
Must complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days
Has to meet all other current FDA donor eligibility requirements to donate plasma

If you've had and recovered from COVID-19, and meet the required criteria and want to donate plasma you are encouraged to apply: