Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are key to helping people that are currently fighting the virus.And all they have to do is donate their plasma.
Harris Health and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center want recovered patients to think about donating. Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, CEO of Harris Health, told KTRH this isn't exactly new science.
"It's been tried over the last couple hundred years, actually. The most successful recent experience with that was the treatment of Ebola," Porsa said.
Porsa says for now, recovered patients give current patients the best hope for fighting the disease.
"They are the only source of antibodies to this disease. When more people participate and donate plasma, more people will have access.
If you want to donate, you have to meet the following requirements. You can also learn more HERE.
- Have had a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by a laboratory test, and be eligible to donate blood.
- Have fully recovered from COVID-19, with complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days, with a second, negative test or
- Have fully recovered from COVID-19, with complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days before donation. No second test is required in this case.