OneBlood becomes first in US to use High Titer plasma regularly to keep immunocompromised from getting COVID

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, millions who are considered immunocompromised still avoid crowds and even family events. But now, with a new FDA approval, things could change. 

OneBlood's High Titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma for patients who are immunocompromised aims to get them back out and about again. 

"This could completely change this for them," said Dr. Rita Reik with OneBlood. "They could begin to live a normal life, with the assistance of receiving the convalescent plasma."

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Doctors and researchers from Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, as well as others have been working on this approval for years. 

High Titer convalescent plasma was used as an "emergency treatment" for COVID-19 starting early on in the pandemic. OneBlood will now be the first blood center in the nation that is licensed to provide – on a normal basis – High Titer plasma, meaning it has a high volume of antibodies against COVID-19. 

It can help keep the immunocompromised from getting COVID-19. 

"It can do that, and it can also treat it if they have contracted it and are having trouble clearing it, because their immune system is too weak," said Reik.

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Neither the donor nor the immunocompromised patient are required to have a COVID-19 vaccination. 

"The patient, vaccines alone don't help them. That's one of the problems. Their immune system 
doesn't respond to a vaccine, so they're in a very tough spot when they run into an agent like COVID-19," said Reik.

The pandemic changed life for everyone, especially the immunocompromised, which includes heart, lung and stem cell transplant recipients, along with many others. 

OneBlood said people who donate who've had COVID-19, can help give freedom to millions who've been virtual prisoners of it. 

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