Coronavirus: The search for antibody super donors

Alessandro Giardini is a consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, and spent seven days on a ventilator due to Covid-19. The doctor recovered and went on to donate plasma.

The plasma, the liquid portion of the blood, contains coronavirus antibodies and he has the highest antibody level of those measured so far.

The antibody rich plasma taken from people who have recovered can be transfused into people being treated for Covid-19.

Three groups of donors - men, those over 35 and people who have had hospital treatment - are most likley to have antibody rich plasma.

The NHS is now urging people who have had coronavirus and are in one or more of those three groups to donate plasma for a treatment trial.