TAMPA, Fla. — More than 213,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Florida. There is an urgent need for those people to come forward and donate convalescent plasma because they're the only ones who can potentially help.
Think about that: in our state, there are only 213,794 people who can donate. But here's the thing, only a small group of that group are even eligible to donate.
Using convalescent plasma to treat people with coronavirus was approved for emergency use by the FDA. Hospitals are giving it to people fighting the virus. And they're giving it to them earlier.
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But remember, when you go to donate, you have to meet FDA guidelines.
So, of those more than 213,000 people, some may still need to recover, some may have underlying health conditions, some may not be old enough.
So they can't donate.
See how that pool gets smaller?
That's why there's an increase in need and why it's so important if you've tested positive to donate.
"We need you to make it a habit. This can't be a one and done and you don't do it again. You're urgently needed on a regular basis," says Susan Forbes with OneBlood.
You are eligible to donate every 28 days.
There's no end in sight here, so OneBlood and other donation agencies are going to continue to need convalescent plasma from here on out.
Here are places you can donate convalescent plasma:
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