If you get the COVID-19 vaccine, can you still donate recovery plasma?

SAN ANTONIO As the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Bexar County continues to increase, there is still a great need for recovery plasma to treat the disease. The new vaccines are an effective tool against COVID-19, but you can not donate more recovery plasma if you get one.

Dr Samantha Gomez Ngamsuntikul, co-director of BioBridge Global, said the vaccines and recovery plasma do not mix well.

“If you donate COVID repair plasma and you do receive the vaccine, you will not be able to give repairs,” Ngamsuntikul said.

The US Food and Drug Administration explains that it is unclear whether the quality of the immune response of that plasma is as effective as the plasma of people who fight the virus without the vaccine.

Since the currently available vaccines do not include the virus itself, Ngamsuntikul said that you will still be able to donate blood.

“For the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine, these are mRNA vaccines, and at the moment there is no waiting to donate,” Ngamsuntikul said. “You can still donate whole blood and platelets.”

Ngamsuntikul says it is crucial to donate blood now.

“To make sure we have enough blood for our local community,” she said.

You can schedule an appointment to donate with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center by calling 210-731-5590 or by visiting southtexasblood.org.

click here for more COVID-19 vaccine coverage from KSAT.