All the pros—and cons—of convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19
Convalescent plasma treatment has been around for a century. (Pexels/)Follow all of PopSci’s COVID-19 coverage here, including breakdowns of the safest swimming options, safest dining options, and a tutorial on safest long-distance travel options.Since coronavirus cases started to climb back in March, scientists have been struggling to identify drugs and other therapies that can treat COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel virus. Unlike many bacterial invaders that are thwarted by antibiotics, there aren’t many pharmaceuticals that help us beat viral infections. Last week, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for a treatment called convalescent plasma. The therapy isn’t new—in fact, it was used in the 1918 flu pandemic. Here’s everything you need to know about the treatment, what it does, and how well it works.What is convalescent plasma?When your body comes into contact with an infectious microbe (like a bacteria or virus), your immune system generates antibodies to...