LONDON, ONT -- When a person recovers from a virus like COVID-19 their immune system produces antibodies in the blood to help fight the infection, now researchers in Canada looking to see if blood transfusions from recovered patients can help those with severe infections.
Researchers out of Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ont. will be part of a multi-centre study that Is looking at using convalescent plasma transfusions as treatment for severe cases of COVID-19.
Convalescent plasma is a term that describes plasma from a person who has recovered from illness.
The team, which includes researchers in New York, is hoping to find that naturally derived antibodies for COVID-19 will help fight serious infections in others.
They are hoping to recruit 1,200 participants from Canada and New York to collect blood plasma from recovered patients to transfuse it into severely ill patients.
Donation is being led by the Canadian Blood Services who are collecting plasma from donors under the age of 67 and have been symptom free for at least 28 days.
Information on how to donate can be found on the Canadian Blood Services website.
