As the medical world still tries to mobilize to combat the ferocity of the COVID-19 outbreak, much is not known. While we do know some things aren’t working (like injecting bleach…), we do know that some things are being tested for potential efficacy. And one that we do need lots of is the many thousands who are recovering from COVID-19 successfully. For anyone who has caught this vicious illness, being able to utilize your recovery to improve the chances of coming up with a long-term solution to the virus.
Indeed, thousands of patients are beginning to volunteer to take part in plasma treatment research. This comes from studies in China showed that ten patients who were in a severely bad place with the condition were able to show clear signs of recovery by using plasma transfusions from healthy patients who had already recovered. This shows us that we could find some information about how to beat the virus from the plasma of those who have already handled the condition.
While more research is needed, what is really needed are more bodies to help manage the plasma treatment research. And it just goes to show the power of human solidarity, as there have been many applicants desiring to get involved. A group in America known as Survivor Corps has been launched, with the aim of bringing COVID-19 patients who want to assist with the various projects going on.
The importance of being able to use the plasma, a constituent of our blood, to help us understand how to combat COVID-19 cannot be understated. This powerful solution will be used to help give any patient who is receiving the plasma infusion a better chance of coming back from the brink with the illness. This can provide a patient with a weakening immune system with a chance of responding.
Thousands of volunteers already involved.
So far, some 30,000 plus people have volunteered to get involved with a Columbia University program that already has a waiting list of 2,000 applicants. This is going to be a major part of our study into working out not only how to combat the illness, but how to beat it once and for all. Survivor Corps are not the only people running such trials, though; the UK’s main health body, the National Health Service, has launched a research program into working out how well plasma donations can be used.
Given the short lifespan of a plasma donation, it’s essential that there is enough opportunity for people to get support. That’s why people who have successfully recovered should definitely think about getting involved in COVID-19 plasma trials. Who knows? You could play a leading role in helping to eventually win the war against this vicious problem.
While we still don’t know how fully effective this can be as a treatment, the more research that can be done the more likely it is that we can come out the other side of this successfully.