Answer:The antibody drive was established for several reasons:
1) To identify potential plasma donors who can donate their antibodies to help those
suffering with COVID.
2) To provide our communities with advanced and accurate antibody results from the
Mayo Clinic.
3) To help local Rabbonim and doctors assess the level of COVID antibodies within
different communities so that the leaders who make decisions on reopening will have
accurate data to work with.
4) To allow for a Kiddush Hashem by collaborating with leading US labs, including the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), to study these antibodies and create better assays
(antibody tests), vaccines and potential pharmaceuticals which could help fight COVID.
Our community has been hit hard and now we are rising to the occasion by trying to
help this cause.

Answer: It does not matter whether you had (symptomatic) or did not have symptoms (asymptomatic) of COVID to enter this study and have your antibody level taken.
Any adult over age 18 can enter this study. You must be willing to fill out a short survey and give your consent to be in the study and have your blood taken.

Answer: Absolutely. You will get a secure email within several days of testing with your Mayo Clinic COVID-19 IgG antibody results. Results will include whether you are considered to have sufficient immunity and an actual number of how much antibody you have.

Answer: There is no charge for you to participate in this testing. Enrolling is completely voluntary on your part.

Answer: A group of physicians have put together a study to correlate degree of symptoms, if any, with your COVID antibody levels. This will be valuable to the scientific community and help gain insight into this disease and how one develops immunity. The study utilizes a short survey to determine your symptoms and possible treatments you underwent for COVID-19, if you had any. Additionally, we will be looking at those without symptoms to see if they developed any immunity based on their exposure within the community. There is no charge to participate in the study and you must enroll on a voluntary basis.

Answer: If you have a positive test result (antibodies are detected), you have likely been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 at some point in the recent past. It takes the body a few weeks after infection to develop IgG to a specific virus. Because COVID-19 is so new to the world it is impossible to predict exactly how protective these antibodies are or how long they are likely to last.

Answer: If you've had COVID-19 and recovered, your blood most likely has antibodies in it that are able to attack the COVID-19 virus. Plasma, which is the component of your blood that contains antibodies, can be used to treat COVID-19 patients and give them a better chance of fighting off the virus. Similar plasma donations have been successfully used to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients.

Answer: Yes. Blood and plasma donations are an exception to stay-at-home orders.

Answer: Plasma will be taken in the same fashion that blood is taken from a vein in your arm. It’s simple, fast, and painless.

Answer: In order to be tested, all of the following requirements must be met:

• You had to have had real symptoms, like fever over 99°F. Slight symptoms like a cold or a headache are not enough.
• You must be completely symptom-free for at least a week.
• You must be willing to donate blood and possibly travel up to an hour to do so.
• Note: Antibody levels will not be available. Eligible donors will be contacted with information on how to proceed.