A new study shows that convalescent plasma treatments, or plasma donated from recovered patients, reduces the risk of death among critically ill COVID-19 patients. Researchers from Houston Methodist Medical Center found that transfusing the plasma, with its anti-COVID-19 antibodies, within 72 hours after hospitalization proved most effective at decreasing the mortality rate. Tens of thousands of Americans have already received convalescent plasma transfusions, with only minimal side effects reported.