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Blood will be tested for COVID antibodies

Kelly O'Hare of Vitalant draws blood from Cole Patterson of Butler at Friday's blood drive at Clearview Mall. Vitalant has issued a call for the donation of blood and blood products.

The cancellation of community blood drives during the COVID-19 pandemic has created a need.

Vitalant has issued a request for the donation of blood and blood products.

The nationwide organization also stressed the need for convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients.

Kristen Lane, Vitalant spokeswoman, said a multitude of blood drives in churches, schools, libraries, fire halls and other public buildings were not held during the red and yellow phases of the pandemic because those buildings were closed.

“The need for blood never stops,” Lane said, adding that “every drop of donated blood is used.”

She said blood donation remained available at Butler Health System's Crossroads Campus and 10 other donation centers in the region during the stay-at-home order associated with the pandemic.

Some blood drives have been held locally since Gov. Tom Wolf upgraded the county to green status June 5.

A plasma and blood drive Saturday for Cheyenne Widenhofer, a 13-year-old Ford City resident who developed vasculitis in April, obtained enough blood products to help 105 people.

Convalescent plasma

A special need for convalescent plasma has arisen in the coronavirus pandemic. Administering plasma donated by those who have tested positive for the virus' antibodies to COVID-19 patients has been found to be an effective treatment for many struggling with COVID-19.

Unlike blood platelets, which have a shelf life of five days, convalescent plasma is immediately frozen and can last for one year, Lane said.

“It's important right now because there is no vaccine or proven treatment for COVID-19 since the virus is so new,” Lane said.

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies and has been symptom-free for three weeks can donate convalescent plasma as frequently as once per week, Lane said.

Convalescent plasma donations will never go unused or be discarded because Vitalant's nationwide network allows locations to share its stock with other cities in need, she said.“That's the whole point of this nationwide network of blood centers,” Lane said. “We can share.”She used as an example the Vitalant blood imported after the 2018 Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood.How to donateVitalant is including COVID-19 antibody testing with all blood donations through Aug. 31 in the interest of collecting convalescent plasma, Lane said.Lane said Vitalant centers are a comfortable place to donate and virus protocol is taken extremely seriously.To maintain protocols, Lane said donors are encouraged to make an appointment to donate blood, as only a few people are permitted in the facility at a time.She said those donating blood are saving three lives because red blood cells, platelets and plasma are separated and used by three separate patients.Appointments to donate blood can be made online at vitalant.org or by calling 877-25-VITAL.

Sonya Burton of Vitalant prepares Kristy Klabnik of Butler for a blood donation at Saturday's blood drive at Herman Volunteer Fire Company hall. Vitalant is including COVID-19 antibody testing with all blood donations through Aug. 31 in the interest of collecting convalescent plasma.

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