This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (orange) — also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19. (NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
NEW YORK - The New York Blood Center is looking for people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate blood plasma to help save lives during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Our region was hit early by this pandemic and has sadly suffered from the highest number of infections in the nation," Dr. Christopher Hillyer, the president of New York Blood Center, said in a statement. "That means we now have the largest pool of individuals recovering from COVID-19 who can become plasma donors and help those who are severely ill."
The organization is collecting and processing plasma from eligible donors and will maintain a plasma bank for hospitals to treat patients with serious or immediately life-threatening infections.
Treating severely ill COVID-19 patients with plasma from those who have recovered (a.k.a. convalescent plasma) may improve their condition, health experts have said.
"It's not known if this treatment will or will not help those with COVID-19 or if it will have any harmful effects, but this is one of the only treatments that we have at present," the Mayo Clinic has said.
Last week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo asked New Yorkers who have recovered from coronavirus infections to consider donating some blood plasma.
The basic eligibility to donate is to have tested positive for COVID-19 and be free of symptoms for at least two weeks. You can get more details here.
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Blood donations needed
Blood banks around the country have a critical shortage of blood supply.