WASHINGTON — MedStar Washington Hosptial Center is calling on survivors of COVID-19 to donate their "liquid gold" to help in the fight with the pandemic. The hospital is taking part in a national program through the Mayo Clinic to study the plasma of patients who have fully recovered from the coronavirus.
It's not a new therapy. Blood plasma, the liquid portion of the blood, contains antibodies that help fight infections, and it has been used in the treatment of viral outbreaks and epidemics like MERS, SARS and H1N1.
Hemotologist Dr. Aarthi Shenoy is leading the initiative at MedStar Washington Hosptial Center.
"We believe that the plasma has immune proteins called antibodies that help either neutralize the virus, or help the immune system recognize the virus as a foreign invader," Dr. Shenoy said.
There are certain requirements you do have to meet to donate to the program:
- You must have tested positive for COVID-19
- You need to have been recovered for 29 days without any symptoms
It doesn't matter what blood type you may have.
If you're a patient who has recovered from COVID-19 and would like to donate plasma, call MedStar Health at 202-877-6290.
