Donate COVID-19 Plasma: When you are eligible?
May 12, 2021 | by Sravani Pathakamuri | Posted in COVID-19
As we all know that, a pandemic situation taken place all over the world due to COVID-19 which is caused by virus transmitted by bats. So, to handle these condition, an hospital in US has conducted some clinical tests and researched about the transformation of plasma from COVID-19 recovered patients to critically ill patients. Hence, it is called COVID Plasma or Convalescent Plasma.
To understand about COVID plasma, we have know about normal plasma as following:
What Is Plasma ?
Plasma is a blood component which is clear liquid part or lymph and is a light yellow liquid when it is separated from blood. Plasma carries water, salts and enzymes and this is the biggest part of the blood. Plasma plays an important role in the body, that is to take nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it.
Convalescent Plasma
Convalescent plasma is the liquid part of blood that is collected from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus or COVID-19, This is because COVID-19 patients develop antibodies against the virus in their blood. As Antibodies are proteins they might help fight the infection.
Till the date, there is no recovery treatment found for COVID-19. But some trails and researches that is suggested is this COVID plasma donation as it helped to recover some patients from Coronavirus.
Donating COVID-19 Plasma
If you are the person who had recovered completely from COVID-19, then you are able to help some other patients who are suffering from COVID-19 by donating your plasma. It is because, you have already developed antibodies against the virus and your plasma now contains COVID-19 antibodies.
These antibodies may also help your immune system to fight with virus when you become sick. Thus, your plasma can help other COVID-19 patients to recover better.
“DONATE YOUR PLASMA, SAVE LIFE”
Eligibility To Donate Plasma
Now, let us know about the eligibility criteria to donate COVID-19 plasma. People who have recovered completely from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are considered to donate plasma. COVID-19 convalescent plasma must only be collected from recovered COVID-19 patients, who are also able to donate blood.
Patients should be diagnosed prior of COVID-19 that is confirmed by a laboratory test and meet other donor criteria. Individuals must have complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days to donation. If your lab test is negative for active COVID-19 disease, it is not much important to qualify for donation.
In this plasma treatment, it has been observed that the antibodies present in the COVID-19 recovered patient’s blood neutralise the virus present in the COVID patient’s body. Plasma can be donated once in 14 days. But this can work more accurately on moderately attacked COVID patient.
Suitable Plasma Donors According To Their Blood Group
| Patients Blood Group | Suitable Plasma Donor |
| A | A, AB |
| B | B, AB |
| AB | AB |
| O | O, A, B, AB |
These are the general blood groups that contain in human body, these are the compatible matches to donate blood or plasma to the suitable receiver.
Plasma Banks
Like blood banks, plasma banks are introduced to control this novel COVID-19 virus. At first, plasma banks are started in New Delhi at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS). This bank will get to know that who are recovered from COVID-19 and check their eligibility to donate plasma.
The purpose of these plasma banks is to collect, store and donate the plasma that is taken from COVID-19 recovered patient. They will donate plasma to the patients who are in its need.
A patient who is eligible and willing to donate plasma can inform the plasma banks which is near to you. Then the team come into the contact with patient to check everything to donate plasma. Then after, they also send a vehicle to pick the recovered COVID-19 patient.
Summary
As the situation is becoming pandemic day by day, to control the deaths caused by COVID-19 virus may researches and trails are being done. But till the date, we haven’t had any treatment to cure this virus. In the part of research plasma treatment is introduced and may trials are conducted with plasma on the COVID patient. But there is no evidence that this plasma donation can cure the patient. But, there are the chances to recover from this virus and also from many diseases or illness.
“STAY HOME STAY SAFE TO LIVE HEALTHIER LIFE”.
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