COVID-19 Awareness: Things To Know Before Donating Plasma For Coronavirus Patients

#IndiaFightsCoronavirus, Coronavirus outbreak, Coronavirus Pandemic, Coronavirus Precautions, Coronavirus Prevention, Coronavirus Symptoms, Coronavirus Treatment, Coronil, Corosure, COVAXIN, Covid-19 Awareness, Social Distancing, Social Vaccine, What Is Plasma Therapy

Plasma therapy has become one of the major treatments to fight the deadly Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19.

Many governments of Indian states and union territories even launched plasma banks and urged recovered patients to donate their plasma.

Approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) plasma therapy helps to reduce fatality chances of COVID-19 patients by 70 to 80 %.

Though plasma therapy is not a proven cure for the deadly COVID-19 infection, it reduces the risk of death and helps in the process of the cure.

Hence, the Central Government, state governments, police officials and medical staff are urging people and asking them to donate their plasma in the launched plasma banks of their respective states.

Currently, it has shown positive results in Delhi and Mumbai where COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly. Telangana, West Bengal and other states are also conducting plasma therapy for patients.

It has also proven to improve the ability of a person to recover from the illness. However, there is more research required to prove its full efficacy in different patient types.

According to medical experts, a convalescent plasma therapy uses antibodies (a type of protein i.e produced by plasma) from patients who have completely recovered from COVID-19 infection. Here is how this procedure will fight coronavirus in your body.

Blood is taken from a previously infected but completely recovered patient, the plasma component of that blood is separated and that contains the antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus. This plasma is injected into an infected person’s body that will fight the virus and neutralise it from spreading.

Once the patient has recovered, he/she will be asked to donate their blood so that their antibodies will be used to treat other infected patients.

Things to know before donating plasma?

Before donating plasma one should get required tests done.

One should be between the age group of 18 to 60, as their plasma antibodies would effect on COVID-19 patients.

For plasma donation, haemoglobin level should be above 8, or else the person would not be eligible for plasma donation.

The blood sample will be checked for any existing harmful diseases such as Hepatitis B and C including HIV.

The recovered blood will be taken into a scientific study and a researcher will extract plasma from the blood that can be injected into an infected person.

Criteria for recovered COVID-19 to donate plasma?

Individuals who are fully recovered of the Coronavirus infection must have had a prior test required to meet the criteria for the plasma donation.

Tests before donation: Get laboratory tests and meet other donor criteria before donating plasma for COVID-19 patients.

One should reach out to nearby clinics or plasma banks to donate plasma after being tested and matching criteria for the same.

When one could not donate plasma, despite being recovered from COVID-19 infection:

If your weight is below 50 kgs, you would not be able to donate plasma.

Pregnant women are restricted from donation due to health issues.

Diabetic patients who are on insulin are not allowed to donate plasma for COVID-19 patients

If ones blood pressure is more than 140 and diastolic is lower than 60 and more than 90, one could not donate plasma.

Cancer survivors are also not allowed to donate plasma.

If one is suffering from any chronic, lung, liver, heart or kidney disease.

Right before plasma donation, things to remember:

Drink a lot of water.

Eat a healthy meal before donating plasma.

Avoid food of carbohydrates and cholesterol.

Do not consume tobacco for at least two hour prior to donation.

Risks of Plasma Therapy:

Despite being an effective treatment, plasma therapy has some risks.

It needs to be done under proper medication and extra care. Medical supervision is very important in such treatments.

Since this process involves blood transfusion, there could be a risk of transmitting a prevalent virus from a recovered person.

Side effect body reactions to the treatment.

The treatment can not be useful for some patients as it can result in the contraction of an infection.

You could be at risk of contracting the infection once again.

However, worldwide plasma therapy gained acknowledgement and is being used for COVID-19 treatment.

Meanwhile, since COVID-19 has no proven cure, medication or vaccine, one should keep their immunity strong, follow social distancing and wear masks.

Wearing face masks could reduce 80 % to 90 % chance of being infected or infecting others.

In addition, hand sanitizer and washing hands every 15 minutes is another helpful and easy way to prevent being infected by the virus.

Stay tuned for further details of the Novel Coronavirus.

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