Baptist Health is accepting plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients to use to treat those fighting the virus.
The program is in partnership with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Baptist announced April 20 in a news release.
The plasma from recovered patients contains antibodies that attack the virus and can lessen its severity. The donations initially will be used for severe COVID-19 patients in Baptist Health intensive care units.
Patients can donate if they tested positive for coronavirus or if they’ve been fever- and symptom-free without medication for 14 days.
If it’s been less than 28 days since their symptoms subsided, they must have a documented negative result by nasal swab or blood test. If a patient has neither of the two tests, a positive antibody test confirming the patient has COVID-19 antibodies is acceptable.
“This is an opportunity for recovered COVID-19 patients to aid those who are suffering from the virus right now,” said Ed Gorak, head of cancer medicine at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center and the program’s principal investigator, in the release.
“We want our COVID-19 patients to have every possible treatment option available to them,” he said.
Baptist Health clinical research nurse Jeanine Richmond will work with doctors to find patients for the trial.
Eligible donors can contact LifeSouth to set up an appointment, and mention they are donating to Baptist Health. One donation can be used on two to three patients.