San Juan Regional Medical Center is asking anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 to consider donating plasma through their local community blood bank. This plasma is being used as an investigative therapy for patients currently diagnosed with COVID-19, as it could lead to more rapid improvement of the disease.
People who recover from COVID-19 do so in part because their blood contains antibodies capable of fighting the virus that caused the illness. For some other diseases caused by viruses, plasma from recovered patients has helped those with the same disease recover.
While COVID-19 convalescent plasma has not yet been demonstrated to provide clinical benefit in patients affected by this disease, the hope is that patients with COVID-19 may improve faster if they receive plasma from those who have recovered from COVID-19, because it may have the ability to fight the virus that causes COVID-19.
While the effects of this treatment are still being investigated, it is currently one of the only treatments available. Therefore, the hospital is relying on plasma donations from recovered patients to help them learn more and hopefully help those who need medical care the most right now.
Those who have had COVID-19 confirmed with a positive lab test (i.e. nasopharyngeal swab), and have since recovered, are eligible to donate. Those interested in donating may contact Dr. Scott Otteson at sotteson@sjrmc.net.
For more information on convalescent plasma for the treatment of patients with COVID-19, visit www.uscovidplasma.org.
