IT has been revealed that people from south Cumbria may have to go as far as Lancaster if they were eligible to be able to donate their antibodies to help fight coronavirus.

New analysis found men produce higher levels of COVID-19 plasma antibodies than women.

NHS Blood and Transplant is launching a campaign for men who have had coronavirus to donate plasma for the national treatment trial.

The new figures show that 43 per cent of male plasma donors so far had high enough antibodies for their donation to be used in the trial. This is compared to 29 per cent of women.

Professor David Roberts, Associate Director for Blood Donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We’d still like to hear from anybody who had coronavirus or the symptoms. More plasma donors are needed.

“But we’d especially want to hear from men. We test every plasma donation and men have higher antibody levels, which means we’re more likely to be able to use their plasma to save lives.”

The new analysis was carried out by NHSBT’s statistics team and reported into the plasma programme last week. (1)

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

Prof Dave Roberts added: “Initially your immune system will try and fight off a virus with white blood cells. If you become more ill, your immune system needs to produce more antibodies that neutralise or kill the virus. Our studies and many others around the world show men with COVID-19 are more likely to become seriously ill than women. This makes them better plasma donors once they have recovered.”

Rachel Johnson, NHSBT statistics lead, said: “It is important to identify donors most likely to have high antibody titres that we can be as effective as possible in plasma collection to treat patients.

“The difference between men and women was statistically significant, so we can be pretty confident, even in this relatively small study, that men are more likely to donate the potentially life-saving plasma we need for coronavirus patients.”

Professor David Menon, an intensive care doctor at the University of Cambridge, said: ”There has been enormous global interest in whether convalescent plasma can help patients with COVID-19, and NHS Blood and Transplant is supporting two high quality trials of convalescent plasma in the UK, REMAP-CAP and RECOVERY.

“In order for the trials to rapidly deliver a result, it is really important that we have plasma from donors with high antibody levels, so that the transfusion has the best chance of affecting the clinical course and outcome of the disease.”

Convalescent plasma is being collected at NHSBT’s 23 donor centres around the country. Donation takes about 45 minutes. 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.

Anyone who has had coronavirus or the symptoms can offer to donate at a donor centre by calling 0300 123 23 23 or completing the online form.