Men who have had coronavirus symptoms urged to donate plasma
Men who have had coronavirus symptoms are being urge to donate plasma due to a shortage of male donors in Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
NHS Blood and Transplant urgently needs men in the two cities who have had coronavirus or the symptoms to volunteer to donate blood plasma.
In the West Midlands county, more than 7,863 people have volunteered to donate blood plasma after recovering from Covid-19. However only 36 per cent of the volunteers are male, despite men being more valuable donors.
Men are far more likely to go on to donate a unit of plasma with a high level of antibodies. A man booked in to donate for the first time is three times more likely to give a high antibody unit of plasma than a woman booked in to donate for the first time.
Plasma from people who have recovered can be transfused into people who are still unwell and struggling to develop their own immune response. The plasma contains neutralising antibodies which could stop the virus spreading and save lives.
Professor Dave Roberts, associate director for blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We are not sure why fewer men than women are offering to donate in Birmingham and Wolverhampton but we need men who have coronavirus symptoms to come forward and offer to donate.
“You don’t need to have had a positive test – if you had the symptoms, we want to hear from you, as all donations are tested.
“Please help the NHS fight Covid-19 by donating. It is safe and easy, and you could save lives.”
For more information, visit www.nhsbt.nhs.uk.
