First, let’s address the elephant in the room: What on earth is CCP?
This popular acronym, which seems to crop up just about everywhere, stands for COVID-19 convalescent plasma. So here’s the skinny. People who either had COVID-19, are vaccinated or both have antibodies in their plasma — the watery portion of blood that looks like honey. If blood donors’ antibodies are high enough, their plasma can help patients with weakened immune systems who are battling the virus. Simple stuff, right?
You may be pleased to hear that CCP treatment was authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In December 2021, the FDA updated the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 convalescent plasma with high antibody levels, specifying its use to treat immunocompromised COVID-19 patients.
We know you mean well, but if you have or have had COVID-19, you must be symptom-free for 10 days before you can donate blood and potentially help COVID-19 patients with weakened immune systems!
So you had COVID-19 and recovered. Now what? It’s time to take the fight to COVID-19’s doorstep and bail out those who need you now — immunocompromised patients who can only hope reinforcements will come. After all, blood containing high levels of COVID-19 antibodies can give patients’ immune systems an extra boost to help defend themselves against the disease. And they need all the help they can get.
Plus, for those who have had the virus and fully recovered, it’s a welcome excuse to get some fresh air and potentially help save a COVID-19 patient’s life. Tell us that doesn’t top camping out in your man cave for days on end, scrambling to come up with new game ideas over Zoom calls, or playing so many online chess matches against the AI that you make Garry Kasparov look like a nitwit … yeah, we didn’t think so. P.S. We have free snacks here, and they’re not going to eat themselves.
No one can predict what the world will look like a year or two from now, but one thing’s for certain: As long as COVID-19 threatens people’s health and wellness, we must stand together as one. And boy, are we glad to have you on our side.
Wondering about your antibody status? Vitalant is testing all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies for a limited time. If antibody levels are high enough, plasma from your blood donation could help COVID-19 patients recover.
You probably remember how relieved you were to have fought and won against the coronavirus. Give others a fighting chance by donating blood today.
Published by: Jeremy T. - Vitalant Contributor