Donate Plasma – Save a Life

COVID-19 – when will it end? Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that right now. While the countries of the world are all racing against time to find a vaccine for it, plasma donation seems to be the way out at least until a vaccine becomes available.

What Is Plasma Therapy?

Plasma therapy, though it is still in the research stage, has shown promising results. This therapy involves separating the plasma of patients who have recovered from COVID-19. This plasma is then given to COVID-19 patients to help them fight the disease.

Dr S. Prabakaran, a transfusion medicine consultant at Kauvery Hospital - Trichy, explains how it is possible for every COVID-19 survivor to make a difference in other COVID patients’ lives. He explains that a person’s blood is made up of white blood cells, red blood cells, blood platelets and plasma. This plasma is what contains the antibodies to different diseases. So, a COVID-19 survivor’s plasma will contain antibodies that fight against that infection.

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Time Is of Essence

The sooner a hospital starts plasma therapy for a COVID patient, the greater his chances of recovery and survival. It is also to be noted that the plasma taken from one recovered patient can be used for two COVID-19 patients, effectively helping save two lives in the process. So, from when can a COVID survivor start plasma donation? Dr Prabhakaran explains that 14 days after recovery from COVID-19, a person can start donating plasma.

Fear Is What We Need to Beat

A lot of people fear going to the blood bank to donate blood. This is understandable as they have just recovered from a pandemic that is ravaging the world. However, if they can overcome this fear and donate plasma, they will be making a huge difference to many families – they could possibly save a mother, a father or a child in a family and earn the family’s undying gratitude. If every survivor was to decide that he/she will help save others by donating plasma, it will indeed make a world of difference to many COVID-19 patients!

Words From a COVID-19 Survivor

Mr Subbaraman was an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient. He was treated successfully at Kauvery Hospital and discharged. Mr Subbaraman urges all COVID survivors like himself to donate blood to save the thousands of patients who are suffering in hospitals.

Make a difference; donate plasma and save lives!

Watch Dr Prabhakaran explain plasma therapy - 

CARDIAC EMERGENCIES IN COVID -19 LOCKDOWN

Dr. Suresh Kumar shares valuable insights regarding dealing with cardiac emergencies in this COVID - 19 lockdown period. As COVID -19 cases go global, a picture is emerging as to its cardiovascular impact and how cardiologists in hard hit regions are coping. The World is facing unprecedented challenges due to COVID – 19 pandemic. However, Life has to go on.

Cardiac patients are high risk

Patients with underlying cardiovascular are at a higher risk of contracting COVID – 19 and have a worse prognosis. There are increasing reports of cardiac emergencies and cardiac events happening globally and cardiovascular diseases being the number one cause of death world-wide. So, 24 X 7 care of cardiac patients become essential. We have to cater to their needs, be it a cardiac emergency or an acute cardiac event or managing patients with chronic cardiac problem visiting the hospital for their regular follow-up. It’s a highly stressful period. Not only cardiac patients are at a higher risk of developing COVID – 19 related complications; once infected, COVID – 19 infection itself may cause heart attack, myocarditis, cardiac failure, arrhythmia. These facts emphasize the quality of treatment needed for all cardiac patients. All COVID – related and non COVID related cardiac emergencies need detailed protocol, meticulous planning - assisted by a specialty team. 

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All COVID patients may present with heart ache, breathing difficulties, cardiac failure, arrhythmia and so also non – COVID patients. We are not aware of the patient’s COVID status when he reports at the casualty. So, their management has to be carried out following national guidelines meticulously. Each hospital needs to plan their own strategies to give quality and emergency care to such patients to prevent mortality and morbidity.

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