Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

September 14, 2020

Change in Donor Characteristics and Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Donated Blood in the US, June-August 2020

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  • Routine testing of blood donated at American Red Cross centers since June 15, 2020 (n=953,926 donations) found that 1.8% of donations tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, with an increase in seropositivity over the study period. Blood from first-time donors was more likely to test positive than blood from repeat donors (3% vs. 1.6%, p<0.001). The likelihood of testing positive was greater among blood from donors aged 18-24 years compared to donors aged 55 years or older (OR=2.4).

Dodd et al. (Sept 14, 2020). Change in Donor Characteristics and Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Donated Blood in the US, June-August 2020. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.18598