Plasma Donors Needed to Fight COVID-19 | News

More East Texas hospitals are using convalescent plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 patients – and as the number of COVID-19 cases is skyrocketing – Carter Bloodcare and other Anderson County providers are urgently seeking help from local donors. They are asking people with COVID antibodies to donate plasma to reduce the effects of the virus and perhaps prevent the death of the patient.

According to the COVID-19 Case Dashboard on the Texas Department of Health website, Anderson County has less than 60,000 populations, but more than 2,000 cases and four deaths.

We need plasma donations from people with COVID antibodies who have recovered from COVID-19 and are symptom-free, or from other asymptomatic people who have had a positive reaction more than 14 days ago. Plasma contains antibodies that boost the body’s immune system and destroy viruses. The donor can give plasma again after 14 days and all donations provide treatment for up to 3 patients.

With COVID convalescent plasma therapy, severe COVID-19 patients are given one or more intravenous doses of plasma containing the COVID antibody. Treatment does not completely cure the patient, but it does show signs of reducing severe respiratory damage.

Carter announced that he needed 40 plasma donations to provide CCPs to patients in East Texas. Linda Golzer, a spokesperson for Carter Blood Care, said the shortage was so severe that Carter is transporting plasma from areas where COVID infections have subsided, such as New York.

Healthcare providers state that the timing of CCPs is important for the treatment of COVID patients and is needed within 24 hours, but local patients are undersupplied and therefore wait an additional 4-6 days.

“The faster we can manage, the better we expect to be,” said Dr. Brandy Ricard of Christus Health System and the Palestinian Community Health Center. “The recent surge of SARS CoV-2 has caused a significant delay in the acquisition and delivery of convalescent plasma here and around here in Palestine. Step up and help your neighbors in this difficult battle. .”

Carter wants people who have a COVID and asymptomatic recovery to register online. www.carterbloodcare.org.. A non-profit organization screens potential donors and then donates them directly to schedule a plasma donation. Donations can only be made through invitations.

Blood management agencies send specially equipped buses to travel to pre-arranged locations. Convalescent plasma donors must also meet the eligibility requirements for regular blood donation.

A Mayo Clinic study conducted from 3 April to 11 June confirmed the safety of convalescent plasma therapy from recovered COVID-19 patients.

Tyler of the University of Texas University Health Science Center and Dr. Megan Devine, a practitioner and associate professor at UT Health East Texas, helped study more than 20,000 patients.

“These data provide good evidence that it is safe to give convalescent plasma,” Dr. Devine said. “It also suggests that giving plasma earlier is more beneficial.”

Carter is the leading blood management agency in northern and eastern Texas. Testing of the COVID-19 antibody in whole blood donations began last month. Antibody testing allows blood management organizations to separate blood products and notify donors of potential infections, depending on the needs of the patient.

Carter encourages patients to continue donating whole blood products to local blood donations. Palestinian tractor supplies have regular blood donations every other Monday, with the next drive scheduled for August 3.

Goelzer told Herald-Press that the growing public interest in antibody testing has attracted more blood donors this month, but testing is not always reliable.

“Our medical director says that antibody testing may not be reliable,” Goelzer said. But that is [donor] Further care should be sought. “We tell people, “Get your results and tell your doctor what to do next.” Leave the interpretation to someone else. “