The American Red Cross will test all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies so donors can learn whether they've been exposed to the new coronavirus.
"We recognize that individuals and public health organizations desire more information about COVID-19, and as an organization dedicated to helping others, the Red Cross is fortunate to be able to help during this pandemic," Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said in a news release.
The test—authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—may indicate if a person's immune system has produced antibodies to the coronavirus, even if they didn't have symptoms of COVID-19. A positive test result does not confirm immunity to the virus, and the test is not meant to diagnose illness, the Red Cross said.
For the next few months, blood, platelet and plasma donations will be tested using samples obtained at the time of donation. The samples will also undergo routine screening and infectious disease testing.
