Plasma could be promising treatment for COVID patients

Plasma could be promising treatment for COVID patients

AND THEN ONTHURSDAY, THEY WILLSTART TESTING..

BUTIT IS BY APPOINTMENTONLY.AS MORE TESTINGRAMPS UP TO FINDMORE CORONAVIRUSCASES...BLOODPLASMA COULD NOWBE A PROMISING WAYTO HELP TREATPATIENTS.ROSWELL PARKCOMPREHENSIVECANCER CENTER ISNOW SEEKING PLASMADONORS.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSSENIOR REPORTEREILEEN BUCKLEYEXPLAINS HOW THEPLASMA DONATIONSWILL COME FROMPEOPLE WHO HAVERECOVERED.DR. GEORGE CHEN."THIS IS ACTUALLY AVERY OLD THERAPYIT'S WHAT USED TO BEUSED BEFOREANTIBIOTICS ANDVACCINES."IT'S CALLEDCONVALESCENTPLASMA...THE WORDCONVALESCENT -MEANS A PERSONWHO'S RECOVERING.ROSWELL PARKASSOCIATEPROFESSOR OFMEDICINE DR.GEORGE CHEN SAYSCHINA SAWENCOURAGINGRESULTS IN TREATINGCOVID PATIENTS...DR. GEORGE CHE"MEANING THEIRFEVERS WENTDOWN.THEIRRESPIRATORYSYMPTOMSDECREASED MANYWERE ABLE TO COMEOFF THE VENTILATORSAND GET OUT OF ICU."THE FDA HASAPPROVED THE MAYCLINIC TOCOORDINATE THIEFFORT.ROSWELL ISPARTICIPATING WITHAN EXPANDED BLOODDONATION PROGRAMSO CAN COLLECTBLOOD AND PROCESSIT FOR PLASMA.HEALTHY PEOPLE -WHO RECOVEREDFROM COVID-19 - CANGO TO ROSWELL'SWEBSITE TO FILL OUTAQUESTIONNAIRE...TOSEE IF THEY AREELIGIBLE TO DONATE...EILEEN BUCKLEY."ONCE POTENTIALDONORS MEET THECRITERIA.THEY WILLCOME HERE - TOROSWELL PARK'SBLOOD DONATIONCENTER."DR. GEORGE CHEN."ONCE THE BLOOD ISCOLLECTED IT WILL BEPROCESSED INTOPLASMA.THAT PLASMAWILL BE PACKAGEDAND THEN SENT OUTTO TO SITES WHERETHERE ARE PATIENTSWHO ARE ACTIVELY ILLWITH COVID-19 WHOWILL THEN GO ON TORECEIVE THE PLASMA."DR. CHEN SAYS THEPLASMA ACTS AS ABRIDGE FOR PATIENTS- UNTIL THEIR OWNIMMUNE SYSTEMKICKS-IN...ROSWELL HAS SET UPA LARGERTEMPORARY DONORAREA SO IT CANPRACTICE SOCIALDISTANCING RULESFOR DONORS..MARIA TURNER ISMARKETINGDIRECTOR.

SHE SAYSTHEY'VE ALREADYRECEIVED INCREDIBLEREACTION FROMDONORS...MARIA TURNER.

"I'VEACTUALLY HAVE HADSOME PEOPLE BREAKDOWN IN TEARS...THEYARE JUST SOMOVED...BY THE FACTTHAT THEY CAN HELPSOMEONE WHO IS ILLNOW...THEY'REGRATEFUL FOR THISOPPORTUNITY."AND IF YOU'REWONDERING ABOUTSAFETY...DR. CHENSAYS COVID-19 CANNOT BE TRANSMITTEDBY BLO