Blood supplies are critically low, as the coronavirus pandemic has impeded donations nationwide.
But here’s another reason to give: to see if you have COVID-19 antibodies.
Amid the critical shortage, one of the nation’s largest blood services is now providing antibody tests to donors, free of charge.
“Literally every single day we are in situations where we need people to show up. It’s a critical shortage,” said Cliff Numark, chief of marketing for Vitalant, an independent, nonprofit blood collector that services hospital patients in New Jersey from Bergen County to Ocean County as well as in the New York region.
Vitalant is the first blood bank in the country to provide coronavirus antibody testing to donors, according to a statement.
“People should give as soon as they can,” Numark said.
Blood drives were canceled during the crisis, and now as elective surgeries recommence, the need has never been greater.
“All those surgeries came back,” Numark said, “and now we have a situation where we need all those people to show up for critical hospital procedures.”
Unlike COVID-19 diagnostic tests, which show if you are currently infected with the virus, serologic antibody tests look for antibodies to check for previous infection.
Antibody testing in the U.S. have been criticized as unreliable. Many tests have been “authorized” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but their accuracy remains largely in question.
However, Numark maintains that the test Vitalant is using — the Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Vitros antibody test — is among the better options on the market.
“It performs very well in this area,” he said, noting that it is a lab-based test that has shown to perform well with both “sensitivity” and “specificity,” two factors that measure testing accuracy.
Donors who undergo an antibody test will receive results two weeks after donating by logging on to their online donor account.
Vitalant said donations “of all blood types are critically needed right now,” especially type O, A-negative and B-negative red blood cells.
And platelets are “always needed by patients for cancer treatments, surgeries and emergencies,” the statement said. “Because of its short shelf life — only 5 days — the supply of platelets must be continually replenished."
Numark noted that antibody testing is also critical for obtaining convalescent plasma, which can be used as a potential treatment. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma — a component of their blood — which “can be given directly to patients currently battling COVID-19 to help boost their ability to fight their illness,” Numark said in the statement.
Though antibody tests don’t guarantee immunity to the virus, people may be eligible to donate in the future, the statement said.
The nonprofit began collecting and distributing convalescent plasma in April.
Vitalant is urging people to donate blood as soon as they can, noting that appointments are strongly recommended.
Visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
For more information on the antibody test, visit FDA.gov and Vitalant.org/COVIDfree.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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