- Researchers from Canada followed 15 recovered coronavirus patients who donated convalescent plasma
- Convalescent plasma therapy is when the liquid portion of blood is taken from a recovered COVID-19 patients
- It is transferred into sick patients in hopes they will develop the antibodies needed to fight off the infection
- All of the donors showed decreases in antibodies after three months, and levels for half the detectable antibodies fell again 21 days later
- This means the earlier that recovered COVID-19 patients donate plasma to those who are ill, the better
Coronavirus antibodies in blood plasma donations fade rapidly after symptoms first appear, a new study suggests.
Researchers followed a small group of recovered COVID-19 patients who donated their blood and found all of them showed decreases in antibodies after three months.
What’s more, just three weeks later, levels for half of the detectable antibodies fell again.
The team, from Héma-Québec, a blood donation center in Québec, Canada, says the findings suggest the earlier plasma is collected after someone recovers from COVID-19, the better.
Additionally, they add that studies using antibodies tests to determine how many people have recovered from the virus may be undercounting the true figure.
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