Hospitals seeing success after infusing plasma in COVID-19 patients

Hospitals seeing success after infusing plasma in COVID-19 patients

Hospitals are using plasma from former covid-19 patients to help current ones fight the virus.

According to doctors, this kind of therapy has brought positive results when fighting other infectious diseases.

News 18's micah upshaw tells us how one local covid-19 survivor is a part of the study.

T: if i can help a person in doing this then... if it's just one person it's worth it.

M: thomas yawn was diagnosed with covid-19 on march 31st.

T: i think it was just a lucky draw that my immune stopped or dropped a little bit from having a common cold and i just got around the right person just unlucky.

M: after his diagnosis he spent the next 17 days in quarantine.

Yawn has been donating tissue at the csl plasma blood donation center in west lafayette for a few months.

So when he learned his antibodies as covid-19 survivor could help current patients fighting the virus -- he didn't hesitate to give.

T: it just made me that lucky bottle that helps find something that helps this go away.

M: for every three to four units of plasma donated, it can help at least two patients.

The purpose of this therapy is to minimize symptoms while speeding up the recovery process.

Iu health doctor nicholas barros baertl says many patients are seeing success.

N: we have done about 50 treatment patients at iu in downtown and about 25 more in other outside downtown iu health systems. the vast majority of the patients are improving.

M: dr. baertl says this is a study.

Right now it's too early to determine if using recovered covid-19 patient plasma is the direct cause of these improvements, however, there's very little to no health risks in trying.

N: less than one percent of the patients that receive convalescent plasma have any reaction what so ever.

We have used convalescent plasma for multiple other infections, so there is some scientific background for this new type of therapy.

M: both dr. baertl and yawn hope more recovered patients step up to donate moving forward.

Reporting in west lafayette, micah upshaw.

News 18.

Thomas yawn started donating his plasma last week.

He can donate twice a week.

You must be recovered from the virus for at least 28 days before donating.

You can find more information on how to donate on our website wlfi.com.

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