The American Red Cross is testing all donations for COVID-19 antibodies for a limited time. Results may indicate an antibody response after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine or possible past exposure to this coronavirus – and may identify donations with antibody levels necessary to potentially help COVID-19 patients with a weakened immune system.

What is the Antibody Test?
The Red Cross says an antibody test screens for antibodies in your blood, which are formed when fighting an infection or in response to specific vaccination, like COVID-19. An antibody test assesses whether your immune system has responded to past infection or vaccination, not if the virus is currently present.

The COVID-19 antibody test used by the Red Cross is available through Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Test results may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to COVID-19 following past infection, regardless of whether they developed symptoms, or following vaccination. Plasma from routine donations with high levels of COVID-19 antibodies that also meet other FDA criteria may be used to treat patients with a weakened immune system battling COVID-19.

However, the Red Cross says it is not testing donors to diagnose illness, including COVID-19. If you feel unwell for any reason, you are urged to postpone your donation. Individuals who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should not donate until they are symptom free for 10 days and feeling well and healthy.

The results of your antibody test will be available by logging in to your blood donor account on the Blood Donor App or online at redcrossblood.org within one to two weeks after your donation. You also can find the results of your mini-physical, including temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate and hemoglobin levels. Antibody testing is performed on all donations made on or after March 7, 2022.

You can find out more by visiting this link: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/covid-19-antibody-testing.html?cid=evergreen&med=social&source=Facebook&campdesc=MarchAntibodyProspecting&dclid=CJ7uw8Ck1_YCFebA9gIdF7oLBA.