Dental team members who tested positive for COVID-19 are being called upon to put themselves forward in a bid to quash the virus.
The British Dental Association (BDA) is urging dentists who have contracted coronavirus to step up as potential plasma donors.
The NHS programme is being used in clinical trials to help improve the recovery of COVID-19 positive patients.
To sign up, visit NHSBT’s website. Patients have to:
- Have had COVID-19. This could be either a positive test or symptoms
- Be able to travel to one of the donation centres
- Additionally, be over the age of 17.
Desperate need
BDA chair Eddie Crouch heads up the campaign. He put himself forward after he experienced the virus during lockdown.
Figures from a study at Birmingham University showed that 16% of dentists, therapists, hygienists and nurses had COVID-19 antibodies before face-to-face care resumed in June.
The research drew data from more than 1,500 dental team members across the midlands.
‘COVID-19 is with us for the foreseeable future. As a healthcare professional I hope my own misfortune can now help patients in desperate need,’ says BDA chair Eddie Crouch.
‘Dentists and their teams have gone over and above during the pandemic, manning urgent dental care centres, redeployed to the front line, and working all out to restore services.
‘For those who have tested COVID-positive these plasma donations can now save lives.’
Increased antibodies
He added: ‘I hope that any colleagues ready and willing to go that extra mile will consider putting themselves forward.’
The programme is especially keen to hear from men, people from Asian communities, people aged over 35 and patients who were hospitalised.
This is because these people are likely to have increased levels of antibodies in their plasma which can help fight infection.
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