Blood donations used to treat coronavirus patients

All the changes are going on behind the scenes in the labs once you donate blood - so the donation process will stay the same if you go to a red cross donation centers.

Vo: whenever you donate blood at the american red cross, your blood is tested for coronavirus antibodies.

If that comes back positive - it's tested one more time to make sure the positive result is accurate.

The red cross says since 2- percent of the u-s population is testing positive for antibodies - every donation is important.

That's why they can now take plasma from any whole blood donation at any donation center or blood drive.

The north alabama red cross biomedical chair told me there's no new steps donors have to take for regular donations.

But if you want to guarentee you're making a convalescent plasma donation - you can follow their process for that.

Sot: amy wasyluka, north alabama red cross biomedical chair: "this location has been collecting convalescent plasma and will continue to collect convalescent plasma, but you still do have to schedule any giving of convalescent plasma through the red cross online."

In huntsville, grace campbell waay 31 news.

The american red cross hopes testing every donation will increase the amount of convalescent plasma they can supply to