I Was Miserable for Weeks. Then I Found Out I Could Donate My Plasma.

Testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies let me feel useful during a time when it is hard not to feel powerless. Like most other people on Earth, I had a really bad March. I got the coronavirus around the time New York City was shutting down.

In a time when many people feel useless, recovered Covid-19 patients are finding purpose in donating plasma. After Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan developed an antibody test in late March, thousands of people reached out to the hospital asking how to donate their antibody-rich plasma to others fighting off the virus. Dr. Ania Wajnbern, who runs the hospital’s new antibody donor identification program, said her inbox was flooded with thousands of emails a day from prospective donors. Soon after, the Blood Center started taking appointments and now is collecting about 4,000 units of plasma a week. Not only does this plasma help treat current patients suffering, it also allows for Covid-19 survivors to find a community. Fellow donors are able to talk about their symptoms and experiences, and even enjoy a unique sense of camaraderie.