Blood donors will know more about the status of their immunity to COVID-19 thanks to a new antibody testing method offered by the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

The new testing runs  through Jan. 31 and individual results will give donors a broader understanding of their bodies’ immune response, whether those antibodies come from natural infection or the vaccine and boosters.

Previously, Oklahoma Blood Institute’s ability to test for donors’ COVID exposure was limited to a detectable immune response from prior infection. The improved method will also detect if an individual has antibodies from receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. John Armitage, OBI president and CEO, said,  “We are committed to providing donors valuable information about their health from blood samples we routinely collect, including immune responsiveness to COVID and metabolic function from total cholesterol screenings. We are fortunate to offer these services through our own labs, without the need to outsource testing.”

As understanding of the virus advances, knowing if an individual has detectable immunity to COVID may well be beneficial in future health decisions, including assessing the risk of reinfection or transmission. Being aware of individual’s immune status could eventually factor into informed decisions around timing booster vaccines, attending large public gatherings or gathering with friends and family. Oklahoma Blood Institute has performed antibody testing of hundreds of thousands of donors in several previous phases of the pandemic.

The need for immediate blood donations remains critically high in Oklahoma and throughout the country. Blood is needed every two seconds and has no substitute. Donating blood takes about an hour and can save the lives of up to three local patients.

Oklahoma Blood Institute supports the inventory for patients in more than 160 hospitals, medical facilities and air ambulances statewide. Appointments can be made by calling 1-877-340-8777 or visiting obi.org.