Covid-19: Survivors in SA donating blood for treatment study

People in South Africa who have recovered from the Covid-19 coronavirus are donating their blood to help others who are trying to fight off the disease that has so far claimed more than 200 lives and infected more than 10 000 people in the country.

At least 30 Covid-19 survivors have registered to donate their blood to the SA National Blood Service (SANBS) to be used in a large clinical trial to see if their plasma, once separated from their blood, can help treat patients who have a moderate or severe form of Covid-19.

The first unit of convalescent plasma, as it is called, will be donated this week and stored at minus 18? for a clinical trial scheduled to begin next month.