Versiti Blood Center seeking plasma donations

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) – Versiti Blood Center of Indiana is encouraging people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their blood plasma. According to the center, blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is full of potentially life-saving antibodies being used by Versiti’s hospital partners throughout Indiana to treat seriously ill COVID-19 patients.

Versiti says donor centers in Indianapolis, Fishers, Carmel, Greenwood, Lafayette and Terre Haute are accepting convalescent plasma donations. The center says recovered Hoosiers can make appointments to donate blood in May and June.

Versiti says the donations will help keep Indiana’s blood supply strong, despite coronavirus threats since March. The center says all blood types can be donated, but need is especially strong for O-negative, the universal blood type.

The treatment, which transfers antibodies that a recovered patient creates into critically ill patients, has been approved by the FDA as an emergency investigational new drug and offers hope to thousands of Hoosiers diagnosed with the virus.

Versiti is forecasting the need for all blood types will rise as summer approaches. Typically, since high schools and universities are on break and families head off on summer vacations, summertime donations tend to sharply decline.

As of Tuesday, the center says 33 recovered COVID-19 patients in Indiana have donated plasma.

You can find more information or register by clicking here.