Study finds some COVID-19 survivors have more effective plasma for treating others

ORLANDO, Fla. — There’s a new study that found some COVID-19 survivors can help more than others.

Convalescent plasma from people who’ve recovered from the virus is being used right now to treat new patients.

Researchers have found some donors are better than others.

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They studied the blood of over 100 survivors and found the quality and strength of their antibodies depended on three different things: the person’s age, sex and how sick they were.

Kevin Rathel,52, woke up from a medically induced coma six months ago after COVID-19 nearly killed him.

His doctor helped him open his eyes so that he could see his wife and three children.

Rathel survived because of an experimental treatment using convalescent plasma.

Read: Florida reports 84 more deaths, 3,600 new coronavirus cases as surge continues

Patients get the plasma from the blood of people who’ve already recovered from COVID-19 because they have antibodies to fight off the virus.

A new Johns Hopkins University study found certain people have better, more effective plasma than others.

How did they figure that out? They tested the blood of 126 COVID-19 survivors and noticed some had very weak antibodies, while others had strong ones that could help treat new patients.

They said those stronger antibodies came from the sickest of patients, as in someone who likely had to be hospitalized.

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They also appeared to come from men and older survivors, but researchers didn’t say exactly how old.

Researchers hope what they’ve discovered could help identify the best plasma donors.

See the full report in the video above.

Cox Media Group