Blood Bank of Alaska issues urgent appeal for people who had COVID-19 to donate plasma

By Anchorage Daily News

Updated: November 15, 2020 Published: November 13, 2020

The Blood Bank of Alaska's building in Anchorage, photographed in April. (Anne Raup / ADN)

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Anchorage emergency officials and the Blood Bank of Alaska are asking people previously infected with COVID-19 to donate their plasma as both the city and state see rising cases and hospitalizations associated with the disease.

The blood bank needs convalescent plasma to treat people with severe COVID-19 infections, the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said in an alert Friday morning. They’re asking anyone who has recently recovered from the illness to donate and saying that the need for plasma is urgent.

Alaska’s surging cases are expected to keep rising through the holiday season, and convalescent plasma can potentially save the lives of those who are most critically ill with COVID-19, the alert said.

In July, the blood bank made a similar call for plasma donations when cases were on a less steep trajectory and COVID-19 hospitalizations were about a third of what they are now. By Thursday, more than 6,500 Alaskans had recovered from the virus, according to state data.

For more information, visit the Blood Bank of Alaska website at bloodbankofalaska.org or call 907-222-5630.

[Alaska is seeing a serious COVID-19 surge. Where are people getting it? Just about everywhere people mix.]

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