Prisma Health and The Blood Connection seek plasma from recovered patients to help others severely ill with COVID-19
Prisma Health and The Blood Connection will hold two COVID-19 convalescent plasma drives in Sumter Thursday, July 9, at the Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St., and Thursday, July 30, at The American Legion Building, 34 S. Artillery Drive. The drives will be from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day, and whole blood donations also will be collected. Whole blood donors will be tested for COVID-19 antibodies.
People who have recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies to the disease — proteins the body uses to fight off infections — in their blood. Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood. The donated blood plasma can be made into convalescent serum and given to approved patients within days.
How to donate:
To donate convalescent plasma, donors must be at least 14 days symptom-free and will be asked to provide documentation of a positive COVID-19 test result or antibody test. Positive test documentation/results can include the following:
- A copy of the donor lab results showing a positive test for COVID-19 that shows the date of the positive test.
- A document from their healthcare provider stating that the donor had a positive test for COVID-19 and the date of the positive test. This document must be on the letterhead or prescription pad of the healthcare provider and must be signed and dated by the healthcare provider.
- This is NOT a COVID-19 diagnostic testing site; antibody results do not confirm infection or immunity.
The process of donating plasma takes a little over an hour. That includes completing a questionnaire and a mini-physical, the donation itself (30-45 minutes) and a 15-minute wait period before leaving the facility.
To donate convalescent plasma, contact Jill Williamson at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, 803-774-8658 to make an appointment.
To donate whole blood, contact The Blood Connection at 864-751-1168.
For information about COVID-19 testing site locations, a symptom checker or a free virtual exam, visit PrismaHealth.org.
About Prisma Health
Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health company and the largest healthcare system in South Carolina. With nearly 30,000 team members, 18 hospitals, 2,984 beds and more than 300 physician practice sites, Prisma Health serves more than 1.2 million unique patients annually. Its goal is to improve the health of all South Carolinians by enhancing clinical quality, the patient experience and access to affordable care, as well as conducting clinical research and training the next generation of medical professionals. For more information, visit PrismaHealth.org.
