Donating plasma post Covid

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Has anyone had the text grin nhs direct about donating plasma 28 days after Covid? Are you going to do it?

*text from nhs direct

I tried but didn't have any antibodies.

I wanted to but they said I was too thin! At 5'9'' I think they said you have to be ten and a half stone. I thought it was a pity because I'm very healthy and have never had problems giving blood.

I can't do it apparently, I don't have enough blood 🤷‍♀️

I'm 5'7 and I had to be more than 11.7 - so nope, not enough blood!

You need to have good strong veins for this. I went and as I’ve struggled to give blood before I wasn’t suitable, to separate the plasma they use something that fires the blood back in so any small or thin veins aren’t suitable.

If you work in education (in any capacity) you can now apply for an antibody test but I like the idea of donating plasma for the research

@hopsalong I wonder if there's an error on there, it doesn't make sense that the smaller you are the more you need to weigh for the cut off? Eg 10.8 for you at 5'9 but 11'8 for me at 5'7

Actually maybe it does, as it's blood volume. Because I'm shorter I'd need to be bigger overall to have the same blood volume

@thenewaveragebear1983

If you work in education (in any capacity) you can now apply for an antibody test but I like the idea of donating plasma for the research

That's only Scotland I think.

Someone I work with donates plasma, and still has a high enough level of antibodies to do so after having Covid in March (the antibodies have to meet a certain threshold to be enough to donate and apparently a lot of people don't have a high enough level). He goes every few weeks I think.

Too thin here as well! Also my nearest donation centre is about 60 miles away apparently.

@Duckwit as of this week it is uk too, we got an email from dFE

What do they use the plasma for do you know? As a treatment? Or as research?

I donated after a positive antibody test but but only had a trace of antibodies left at the time of donation.

I was the same, I don’t weigh enough.

I've applied but the follow up email says they will prioritise males and those who have been hospitalised.

I got the text but don't have enough blood. I'm 5ft 3 and needed to be over 13 stone!

I think it's being used for experimental treatment at the moment.

I'm sure I have the numbers wrong. I've never weighed much over 9 stone, so 10 1/2 already seemed pretty big to me. (With my frame, I would be unhealthy at that weight.) I don't know what the medical evidence for requiring larger weights is, but it seems odd that that you have to be on the verge of being overweight to donate plasma. Can't they just take slightly less from smaller people? I know I had strong antibodies when I was looking at donating, so the concentration would have been high.

@hopsalong yes it does seem that you'd need to be quite heavy the shorter you are? I suppose it's actual blood volume not % total Weight though

My friend was asked but she was too ‘skinny’ (her words). She was more than happy to tell everyone she’s ever met this fact, she’s 5’3” and 12 stone!

I'm 5ft 4 and weigh about 8st 11, so slim but not underweight.
I've tried to register to donate both blood and plasma and have always been rejected but never told why?!

I got the same response OP and I'm 5'4 and 56k kg. The requirements in my area were very specific, they were looking for blood plasma from men over the age of 30, preferably from an ethnic minority background and weighing 76kg or more!

My friend was devastated she was too short - she was really looking forward to the biscuit and the hour away from the kids

[quote thenewaveragebear1983]@Duckwit as of this week it is uk too, we got an email from dFE

What do they use the plasma for do you know? As a treatment? Or as research? [/quote]
It could be either, but probably treatment. There has been significant success in treating some of the worst cases of Covid by introducing plasma from people who have recovered. It kicks the immune system up a notch by training the patients immune system what the antibody reaction should be - in laymans terms, it's like the sick persons own immune system looks at what the introduced plasma does and copies it. That's really simplistic as an explanation, but it works!

Has anyone got a link about the antibody test if you work in education being UK wide now? I could only find it for Scotland?

I think initially it was a trial treatment but I think it is working quite well. My colleague says they are really keen for him to keep coming back to donate.