Jacksonville FL — The list of blood donation centers, that serve the Northeast Florida community, looking for people who had coronavirus to donate plasma is expanding. LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is looking for those who previously tested positive for the virus, been symptom free for at least 14 days and test negative for the virus, or those who haven't had symptoms for at least 28 days. The plasma would then be donated to help treat people who currently have the virus.
Dr. Chris Lough with LifeSouth says there isn’t much out there treatment wise, but donating plasma is one of the more promising methods of treatment.
“This is one of the only things that we can actively do at this point before we get into the vaccines and the different things that are developed.” Lough says.
He says antibodies are in the plasma of people who have recovered from the virus.
Lough says it’s a two-phase approach for where the donations will go. He says the first phase will go towards hospitals and those donations will stay in the same area from where they’re donated. The second phase will create a stockpile that could then be sent out nationwide.
If you'd like to donate, you can call LifeSouth at 352-224-1600 or email them at medicaloffice@lifesouth.org.
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