Surge in Florida COVID-19 cases drives need for convalescent plasma to help sick patients

Blood banks are in critical need of people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 to help others fighting the coronavirus.

Jean Doyle took a cruise to the Bahamas in March to celebrate her son’s marriage. Doyle told Action News Jax reporter Alicia Tarancon that’s where she and the mother of the bride contracted COVID-19.

“Rosita ended up in ICU. She has that underlying [health condition] of diabetes ,so she ended up on dialysis in addition to having a respirator,” Doyle said.

Florida is seeing a surge in cases, with more than 300,000 people who have tested positive. Because of the spike in numbers, blood banks, like OneBlood, are experiencing a high demand for COVID-19 convalescent plasma.

It’s plasma from patients who have recovered from coronavirus.

Those people have antibodies that could help other patients still fighting COVID-19.

Susan Forbes, the senior vice president of corporate communications for OneBlood told Tarancon hospitals across the state are seeking convalescent plasma to help COVID-19 patients.

“Our hospital orders have gone up over 500% in the past couple of weeks, and that is being driven by the fact that more cases are happening throughout our service area,” Forbes said.

Forbes also said hospitals are now using convalescent plasma earlier in their treatments, which is another reason why the demand has gone up.

Doyle told Tarancon Rosita recovered from COVID-19 and is now healthy, but after watching what she went through, it inspired her to donate plasma to help other patients still fighting.

“It’s so important if you have recovered from COVID-19 to become a donor, and it’s a wonderful feeling to know that that’s all been for a purpose,” she said.

People who have tested positive for the virus and recovered can donate plasma, as can people who have tested positive after they took an antibody test.

If you would like to sign up to donate, you can click here.

Cox Media Group