Plasma Used in 75 Patients so far, More Needed
July 15, 2020
Blood plasma, or convalescent plasma, began being used on EAMC patients with COVID-19 in mid-May. Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can donate blood plasma and it is used in current patients with COVID-19 to help their bodies fight off the virus. In the first six weeks, 31 patients were given plasma. In the past three weeks, 44 patients have each received a unit, but many of the units had to be ordered because there were no units available locally. This delays the treatment the patient could be receiving by about four-to-seven days.
“Many of our patients are very sick and some at risk of dying,” states Ricardo Maldonado, M.D. “No treatment available is 100 percent effective, and some patients will not respond to different therapies we have available,” Dr. Maldonado says. “In that setting, we welcome a safe and easy treatment that could potentially help our patients. This treatment is likely to help, and unlikely to harm. Therefore, it is an attractive treatment option we would love to keep offering to our patients.” Convalescent plasma has been used safely in over 25,000 patients in the U.S.
If you have recovered from COVID-19, please consider donating blood so we can continue offering this treatment option to our patients. Call our local LifeSouth Community Blood Center at 334-705-0884 and ask to designate your donation to EAMC.
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