Hyderabad: Plasma donors allay misapprehensions

The process of plasma therapy is similar to donating blood. A person who has recovered from Covid develops antibodies against it. People who test negative two weeks after recovery also can donate blood. Plasma is then separated from blood, tested for viral antibodies, and then administered to a Covid-19 patient

Hyderabad: The pharmaceutical companies are scrambling to find vaccine for treating corona virus which is causing havoc across the country and world. In these pandemic times plasma therapy is the only available scientifically approved viable treatment for the Covid positive patients. To save more lives and give hope to critically ill, fervent appeals are being made to those recovered from Covid to donate blood/plasma. Many are coming forward for the noble cause, but according to the Hyderabad Blood Donor Groups, only 10 out of 100 recovered patients are turning up. The members of the group attribute the low turn out to fear and misconception that they may once again get exposed to the virus.

"Besides the Hyderabad Blood Donors Society, the State government and Cyberabad Commissioner of Police V C Sajjanar have been appealing to people recovered from Covid to come forward and donate plasma. But the response is very low, due to fear of side effects of donating plasma. Also, we have started encouraging people through facebook but there is hardly any response. It would be better if the State government sets up mobile plasma donation vans in various areas to reach to people who want to donate plasma," said Sai Kumar, a member Hyderabad Blood Donors Society, LB Nagar.

"Like various blood donor groups, even we have started an online portal to connect plasma donors with those in need but people out of fear are not coming up. As many recovered patients have misconceptions that they would once again get exposed to the virus but people are not aware that plasma donation has no side effects, said Sharvan, member of Blood donors society, Hyderabad

P Uday Kiran Gupta, a resident of Sanath Nagar, who donated plasma thrice which saved seven Covid patients, said, "There is no harm in plasma donation. I first donated at Chola Hospital and next two at Medicover Hospital and Global Hospital. I got motivation from the appeal made by V C Sajjanar."

Lakshman Kumar, another Covid recovered patient who has donated plasma twice said, "It has been nearly three months since I recovered and still the percentage of antibodies in my blood is more than average. As plasma therapy is the only way we can save the lives of people. Only five percent of Covid positive patients end up needing plasma. Even if everyone who has recovered from the virus comes forward and donates plasma once, we can ensure zero casualties."