College Says Students May Have Sought COVID-19 Infection To Boost Plasma Donor Payout
Administrators at Brigham Young University's campus in southeastern Idaho say they are "deeply troubled" by reports that students may have intentionally tried to contract COVID-19, lured by blood donation centers that are paying a premium for plasma with COVID-19 antibodies.
"Students who are determined to have intentionally exposed themselves or others to the virus will be immediately suspended from the university and may be permanently dismissed," the university said in a statement issued Monday.
The school condemned the behavior, saying it is "actively seeking evidence of any such conduct among our student body."
Possible donation sites for BYU-Idaho students include the Grifols Biomat USA Rexburg location, whose website touts its close proximity to the BYU-Idaho campus in downtown Rexburg. The company's site has a page devoted to survivors of COVID-19 as part of its effort to collect convalescent plasma.
"As a special thanks, those who give convalescent plasma will earn $100 per visit," the company says. It also says that for people who have recovered from the disease, "As your body produces more to maintain your immunity, you can potentially donate multiple times."
In recent months, the company has been offering $50 to new plasma donors, with progressively higher amounts for people making multiple donations within a month.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/10/13/923381540/college-says-students-may-have-sought-covid-19-infection-to-boost-plasma-donor-p
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