Valley hospitals need recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Local hospitals are in need of more plasma donations as COVID-19 cases rise, and ICU availability decreases.

People who have recovered from COVID-19 are encouraged to donate plasma at the Central California Blood Center.

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If you have tested positive for the virus, go to the Central California Blood Center website to fill out a pre-screening form. Officials will contact you to see if you are a match with the person receiving the plasma.

"As cases rise, more and more people in the hospital are benefiting from plasma that is donated from people who recovered. And the idea there is that if you recovered from COVID-19 you have in your plasma some antibodies that can help someone else recover more quickly," said Ersilia Lacaze, director of marketing for Central California Blood Center.

All blood products are critical right now.

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The Central California Blood Center is encouraging people to come into any of their locations to donate.