The breakneck increase in the number of people infected with Covid-19 in Bulgaria has brought a series of problems to the fore. The lack of medical staff has become evident. The Covid-19 units are reaching their full capacity and medics are on the brink of exhaustion. In addition, there is huge deficit of important life-saving substance- convalescent plasma. 

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Health has been constantly calling on people to donate blood plasma. In March this year the association “Treatment of Covid-19 with Convalescent Plasma” created a special Facebook group. All Bulgarians willing to donate blood plasma are members of this group. It became clear that the deficit of A negative blood is highest. The calls for donation of blood plasma have become more urgent, because it turned out that this method saves lives.

Thirty-three year-old Radoslav Tsevtkov has donated blood plasma already twice. He was infected with the novel coronavirus in the summer. Radoslav did not hesitate to join the procedure when he learned about the possibility to donate plasma.

“I will donate again if necessary”, Radoslav Tsvetkov said for BNR. Radoslav explained that the procedure is painless and is well-accepted by the human body. However, it turned out that donors are facing some impediments:

“The National Center for Hematology and Transfusion urgently needs plasma. Donors from all over the country are welcome to donate convalescent plasma and we will pay their travel costs, - the Chairperson of the Association “Treatment of Covid-19 with Convalescent Plasma” Dr. Pavlina Mihaylova explained in an interview for BNR. In her words, at the end of last week hospitals from Gabrovo, Burgas, Varna and Plovdiv needed convalescent plasma for treatment of doctors with severe symptoms. Although many volunteers wanted to donate plasma, they were not able to do so, because the blood center was closed.

The National Center for Hematology and Transfusion is the only place in Bulgaria where people can donate blood plasma. However, it is open from 8 am to 3 pm on weekdays which impedes many people do donate convalescent plasma. Moreover, the center is closed on weekends. Otherwise, the procedure itself takes 40 minutes only. Only healthy people can donate blood plasma. The procedure can be made at least 40 days after they test positive for Covid-19. Donors bring their positive PCR tests to prove that their blood plasma contains antibodies against Covid-19.

According to current criteria, people aged 55 or under can donate blood plasma in Bulgaria. However, in Dr. Mihaylova’s view, this must change, because the criteria were written back in May and the situation has changed since then.

“Many people say- I am 59 or 60 and want to donate plasma. They should also be able to donate. I made a survey and I found out that there are no such age restrictions in Great Britain. As we already know, older patients have more severe symptoms and more antibodies in their blood. In other words, the blood plasma of such people is much more efficient.”

Written by: Yoan Kolev

English version: Kostadin Atanasov