Have you had COVID-19? Sheffield Blood Donor Centre needs your plasma

“I’ve kept it up all through my adulthood, visiting three times a year, and just recently donated my 86th pint.

“Luckily I have no anxiety about needles, and have always just felt it’s the right thing to do.”

Now aged 42, Richard is part of a community of loyal donors in Sheffield who have helped to keep the region’s blood stocks up throughout the coronavirus crisis.

“I last donated at the end of March, just as we went into lockdown,” saus Richard, who is a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam.

“The team was being very careful, using hand sanitiser, and I felt completely secure.

“My next appointment is in July, and I will definitely be attending.”

The NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service revealed this week its gratitude that loyal donors have continued to book appointments to donate, even at the height of lockdown, and under the cloud of COVID-19.

A spokesperson for the team, which provides the blood donation service for England and the organ donation service for the UK, said: “We’ve seen a great response from our lifesaving blood donors, who have continued to donate throughout the coronavirus outbreak, and because of this most appointments are full.

“Thanks to our loyal donors in Sheffield, blood stocks remain in a good position.

“If you’re donating soon be assured that extra safety measures are in place on session – safety is always our number one priority.

“We’re spacing donors out, doing extra cleaning, our staff are wearing masks and we're triaging everyone who arrives so only people with no risk factors can enter the donation area.

“We are asking donors to wear their own face coverings to protect other donors and our staff.”

And in addition to blood donations, Sheffield Blood Donor Centre, on Church Street, has now also taken 113 convalescent plasma donations from people in the city who have recovered from COVID-19.

The antibody rich plasma of people who have recovered can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response to the disease.

NHS Blood and Transplant is collecting convalescent plasma for a major coronavirus treatment trial, and if the trial is successful, widespread use in hospitals.

NHSBT is now appealing for people from Sheffield who have had COVID-19 to get in touch, as they may be able to donate too.

Prof David Roberts, NHS Blood and Transplant’s associate medical director for blood donation, said: “Thank you to everyone in Sheffield for donating convalescent plasma to try and save lives.

“We need more donors and we want to hear from people who have had the coronavirus.

“The plasma with the most antibodies tends to come from people who were more ill.

“For this reason, there is a particular need for recovered donors who are male, or who are aged over 35, or who were hospitalised.

“Their plasma is more likely to be able to save lives.

“Convalescent plasma donation is safe and easy.

If you get the call, please donate, and help your NHS fight COVID-19.”

Convalescent plasma donation takes about 45 minutes, during which time you can sit back and relax.

Your body usually replaces the plasma you’ve donated in 24-48 hours and you can get on with your normal day after donating.

Your body quickly replaces the antibodies and people can donate plasma as often as every two weeks.

To offer to donate convalescent plasma in Sheffield, or if you would like to become a blood donor, visit www.nhsbt.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.