The American Red Cross says it will test all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies, providing insight into whether donors were exposed to the virus.
The tests, which are billed as a new service to donors, will indicate if a person’s immune system has produced antibodies to the coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms.
However, the tests cannot tell if the virus is currently present in someone’s symptoms, according to the Red Cross website.
People who feel unwell for any reason are asked to postpone their donation, and those who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should not present to donate until they are symptom-free for 14 days and feeling well and healthy, according to the Red Cross.