MILWAUKEE — Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin is calling for plasma donations as the medical industry struggles to deal with rising demand for plasma amid the pandemic.
The blood center urges anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 to donate, at one of their centers in the Milwaukee area.
A spokesperson for Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin says that the demand for plasma is up 50 percent in October, compared to last month.
The donated plasma will go towards helping hospitalized coronavirus patients.
Plasma is the part of blood that contains antibodies, which are proteins made by the body when the body suffers from an infection, according to the FDA.
Plasma from patients who have already recovered from COVID-19 in turn may contain antibodies that can effectively fight a COVID-19 infection.
As such, convalescent plasma that is given to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 may help them recover more effectively.
