Sheffield doctor recovers from coronavirus to take part in blood trial

Jonathan Gray, aged 25, who works in general surgery at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, only had mild symptoms of coronavirus, and is now fully recovered.

However, his blood plasma is rich in antibodies to the killer disease, and may be able to be given to people who are struggling to develop an immune response to the illness.

NHS Blood and Transplant is now leading an effort to collect this ‘convalescent plasma’ from people who have recovered from COVID-19, to support a national clinical trial.

The trial will investigate whether plasma transfusions could improve a covid-19 patient’s speed of recovery and chances of survival.

As well as the trial, NHSBT is also building up capacity to collect plasma so that it can deliver at a large scale, if transfusions are shown to help patients.

Jonathan said: "I had a positive test and I self-isolated. I was contacted by NHSBT to ask if I could donate at Sheffield Donor Centre. I was there on the first day.

“It was easy. I went through the health questions and just sat down and it didn’t take long. It’s a nice way to help out – you are potentially saving lives and helping research.”

Convalescent plasma is taken from people who have recovered from infection and may contain antibodies that their immune systems have produced in fighting the virus.

That plasma can be transfused to patients whose immune systems are struggling to develop their own antibodies.

NHS Blood and Transplant is now contacting potential donors with a confirmed positive test result, using patient data supplied through the wider NHS.

Because potential donors need to have had time to develop antibodies to the virus, plasma donation can not take place until 28 days after the patient has fully recovered.

If people have a confirmed positive test result and they are willing to donate, they can also provide details via the NHSBT website at www.nhsbt.nhs.uk.