Blood Plasma from Survivors of COVID-19: A Novel and Next Frontier Approach to Fight against Pandemic Coronavirus

Blood from people who have recovered can be a rich source of antibodies, proteins made by the immune system to attack the virus. The part of the blood that contains antibodies, so-called convalescent plasma, has been used for decades to treat infectious diseases, including Ebola and influenza. In the absence of a cure or vaccine for the coronavirus, a group of scientists is searching for a fast solution in an unconventional place: The veins of people who have recovered. Starting in New York City hospitals this week, and soon in dozens of medical centers across the United States, researchers will start drawing blood from COVID-19 survivors, who have antibodies their bodies made to fight the disease. They’ll then isolate their plasma, the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies. And in a process called “convalescent plasma therapy,” their antibodies will be transferred to others, either to protect them against getting infected or to boost the immune systems of those who are already sick. This highly experimental therapy hasn’t been proven to work against the coronavirus, but preliminary research out of China suggests that it has helped a small group of patients recover. It’s also seen some success in past infectious disease outbreaks, including in fighting the coronavirus that caused the SARS outbreak.