NORFOLK, Va. — Bon Secours announced last week that the hospital system will join the FDA's Expanded Access Program for Convalescent Plasma as a treatment to fight COVID-19.
As of now, there is no vaccine for the coronavirus but the hospitals hope to use plasma from recovered individuals to help treat their sickest COVID-19 patients.
People who have recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies to the disease in their blood. Doctors call this convalescent plasma.
Researchers hope that when it's given to someone with a severe case of COVID-19, it will boost their ability to fight the virus off.
Dr. Nguyen, a chief clinical officer for Bon Secours Hampton Roads, says the longevity of how long a patient may be exempt is unknown.
“As of right now we don’t have much information on the immunity process. Will it be for a few months or a few years or is it a lifetime?” Dr. Nguyen said.
Qualifying donors are people who have had COVID-19 and are symptom-free for 28 days or longer.
They can donate blood through their local American Red Cross Blood Donation Center or they can donate at other participating blood donation centers found on Bon Secours’ website.
A single plasma donation has the potential to help not just one but up to four patients with COVID-19.
Dr. Nguyen says that during this crisis, while caring for sick patients is the priority, so is managing the capacity at the hospital and having enough supplies.
“To make sure that we have the beds available. The ICU beds, ventilators, medications, and most importantly PPE available to our patients and to protect our staff and our physicians," Dr. Nguyen said.