A New York resident, visiting his father in Dayton, has recovered from COVID-19 and is donating his blood plasma to Community Blood Center. The antibodies in this plasma donation, the first of its kind in the area, could be used to treat future patients who come down with the coronavirus.
The donation from 21-year-old Menachem Mendel Mangel comes as Community Blood Center (CBC) prepares to open a collection program to the eligible public.
According to a news release, "CBC has been working with the FDA and local hospitals to coordinate the collection and use of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP)."
Mangel is the first former COVID-19 patient to donate CCP in the Miami Valley region. He is the son of Rabbi Nochum Mangel of the Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Dayton synagogue.
He donated plasma on April 6 after receiving a negative test for the disease, which proved that he was no longer able to infect others. CBC immediately processed the CCP donation into three units and sent it to Miami Valley Hospital.
"I'm back here for Passover," said Mangel, who works as a marketing strategist. "My dad told me about donating (convalescent) plasma and I said I'd do it. It wasn't too much of a debate! I've donated before and anything I can do to help."
"The entire community worked with great intensity and purpose to make this happen," said CBC Medical Director Dr. James Alexander. "In the end, we do what we do to help those that are in need and through the efforts of a great many people, we were able to accomplish that task. We hope to establish a CCP program for the community soon. We will do everything possible to meet the needs of our community."
CBC is finalizing plans for public recruitment of CCP donors and hopes to post full donor criteria and application forms on its website by April 10.
Here is a partial list:
- Have a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by a lab test or doctor's note
- Have evidence of lack of infectivity through testing or resolution of symptoms for one month
- Meet current blood donation protocols
- Potential donor's doctor must determine they meet the criteria
Meanwhile, Mangel, working remotely from Oakwood, is staying in touch with his New York friends. "Everyone I know who has tested positive is planning to try to donate," he said.
