1: If your test result is the number 1, you may have antibodies that resulted from a previous COVID-19 exposure, a related common-cold coronavirus or some other condition. If you do not have reason to believe you had COVID-19, it might be a false-positive test result. Vitalant will perform a supplemental antibody test to distinguish unrelated antibodies from SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, which may qualify you to donate convalescent plasma as long as you meet other eligibility requirements. It takes approximately 2 weeks to perform the supplemental test and display the result in your donor account.

Negative (or N): Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were not found in your blood. False-negative results are unusual but may occur. If your COVID-19 Antibody test result is negative, blank or N/A, a supplemental test will not be performed. Your blood and platelet donations are still very much needed for patients undergoing surgery, cancer therapy and other medical treatments.

Blank or N/A: Test results are pending or you had an incomplete donation and no antibody test was performed.

Technical Problem, NT (Not Tested) or Blank (after 2 weeks): Blood couldn’t be tested due to clotted sample or other issue.

Type of COVID-19 Antibody Test Used by Vitalant:
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total Reagent Pack. Authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Learn more

Information for Test Recipients

Information for Health Care Providers

Positive (or P): You likely have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. If you meet all other eligibility requirements for a plasma donation, you can donate convalescent plasma to help COVID-19 patients! To schedule your COVID plasma appointment, (or plasma appointment if COVID plasma is not an option), please find a convenient location. Need help? Call us at 866-CV-PLSMA (866-287-5762).

Negative (or N): In the absence of a COVID-19 vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were not found in your blood. People who have been vaccinated may see a “1” as their COVID-19 Antibody test result, but will see a “Negative” or “N” result after supplemental testing. Please continue donating blood to help trauma and burn patients, premature infants, heart surgery patients, organ transplant recipients and those fighting cancer, among others. Every 2 seconds, someone in the United States needs blood.

Blank or N/A: Test results are pending or you had an incomplete donation and no antibody test was performed.

Technical Problem, NT (Not Tested) or Blank (after 2 weeks): Blood couldn’t be tested due to clotted sample or other issue.

Type of COVID-19 Supplemental Antibody Test Used by Vitalant:
Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2. Authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Learn more

Information for Test Recipients

Information for Health Care Providers

If you gave convalescent plasma (after being diagnosed with COVID-19), only the COVID-19 Antibody test will be performed* and the results will display as follows:

• A "1" result means that you may continue to donate convalescent plasma.
• A negative (or N) result on the COVID-19 Antibody test means that your donations can no longer be labeled as convalescent plasma units; however, your donated plasma can be given to help non-COVID patients who need plasma transfusions.
• Blank or N/A results mean the test is pending or you had an incomplete donation and no antibody test was performed.
• Technical Problem, NT (Not Tested) or Blank (after 2 weeks) means your blood couldn’t be tested due to clotted sample or other issue.

*As an active convalescent plasma donor, the COVID-19 Supplemental test is unnecessary and will not be performed. The result for the supplemental test will remain blank.

Type of COVID-19 Antibody Test Used by Vitalant:
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total Reagent Pack. Authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Learn more

Information for Test Recipients

Information for Health Care Providers

• You ARE eligible to donate blood or platelets if you meet all general blood donation eligibility criteria
• You are currently NOT eligible to donate convalescent plasma (also referred to as COVID Plasma)  

Once a donor receives a COVID-19 Antibody test result of 1, it takes approximately 2 weeks to perform the supplemental test and display the result in your donor account. Please check your account again soon.

If you are an active convalescent plasma donor, only the COVID-19 Antibody test will be performed on your blood sample. For more information, click “Understanding Your COVID-19 Antibody Test Results – For Convalescent Plasma Donors” above.
 

No. If your result is 1 for the COVID-19 Antibody test, we will use the same blood sample for the supplemental test. If your result is negative for the COVID-19 Antibody test, your blood sample will not undergo supplemental testing.

If you are an active convalescent plasma donor, only the COVID-19 Antibody test will be performed; no COVID-19 Supplemental test will be done on your blood sample. For more information, click “Understanding Your COVID-19 Antibody Test Results – For Convalescent Plasma Donors” above.
 

Not yet. The next step is to perform the COVID-19 Supplemental test on your existing blood sample to distinguish unrelated antibodies from SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, which may make you eligible to donate convalescent plasma. Please check your donor account again in approximately 2 weeks to view the results of your COVID-19 Supplemental test

If you are an active convalescent plasma donor and your COVID-19 Antibody test result is a 1, you may continue to donate convalescent plasma. The COVID-19 Supplemental test is unnecessary and will not be performed. For more information, click “Understanding Your COVID-19 Antibody Test Results – For Convalescent Plasma Donors” above.

 

Yes! If you meet all other eligibility requirements for a plasma donation, you can donate convalescent plasma to help COVID-19 patients. To schedule your COVID plasma appointment online (or plasma appointment if COVID plasma is not an option), please find a convenient location. Need help? Call us at 866-CV-PLSMA (866-287-5762).

If you are an active convalescent plasma donor and your COVID-19 Antibody test result is a 1, you may continue to donate convalescent plasma. The COVID-19 Supplemental test is unnecessary and will not be performed. For more information, click “Understanding Your COVID-19 Antibody Test Results – For Convalescent Plasma Donors” above.
 

Recently, the FDA provided guidance to blood centers regarding revised eligibility criteria for convalescent plasma donation. Part of this change includes the addition of a supplemental antibody test* (Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2) to determine if a donor developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 or if the antibodies developed as a result of another unrelated coronavirus or some other condition. If your supplemental test result comes back positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, you can give convalescent plasma as long as you meet all other eligibility requirements for a plasma donation. If your supplemental test result comes back positive, call us at 866-CV-PLSMA (866-287-5762) if you need help scheduling your appointment.

*If you are an active convalescent plasma donor and your COVID-19 Antibody test result is a 1, you may continue to donate convalescent plasma. The COVID-19 Supplemental test is unnecessary and will not be performed. For more information, click “Understanding Your COVID-19 Antibody Test Results – For Convalescent Plasma Donors” above.
 

Antibody-producing cells may shut down over time when our body determines that an immune response is no longer needed. As a result, some donors exposed to SARS-CoV-2 who first test positive for antibodies may test negative at a subsequent donation.

In individuals without significant symptoms and/or a positive nasal or oral swab test, false-positive results may occur on an earlier donation due to cross-reactivity from pre-existing antibodies or other possible causes. For people with swab-confirmed COVID-19, this test can occasionally give a negative result that is incorrect (a false-negative result) on a later donation. The best course of action if you want confirmation of your current antibody status is to follow up with your health care provider.

Yes. We will continue to test each convalescent plasma donation you give using our initial COVID-19 Antibody test only. (Supplemental antibody testing will NOT be performed on your blood sample.) If your result is a 1, that means your blood contains COVID-19 antibodies and your donation will be used to help someone currently fighting this disease. If your result is negative, that means the test did not detect COVID-19 antibodies in your blood and your donation cannot be labeled as a convalescent plasma unit; however, it will be labeled as a plasma unit to help non COVID-19 patients who need it.

Our initial test identifies antibodies that could have developed as a result of either the COVID-19 vaccination or as a result of COVID-19 infection, but it does not distinguish between the source. If, however, your donation also has a positive supplemental test result, you were likely exposed to COVID-19. People who have been vaccinated but were never exposed to the virus only have antibodies detected by our initial test.