The Philippine General Hospital is once again asking COVID-19 survivors to donate blood to help coronavirus patients recover as the country’s death toll continues to rise.
The University of the Philippines-Manila, which administers and operates the COVID-19 referral hospital, in its announcement said the blood donations will be used for the convalescent plasma therapy.
“Ang inyong donation ay makakatulong sa isinasagawang clinical trial as pag gamit ng convalescent plasma therapy para sa COVID-19. Layunin ng clinical trial na ito na masubok ang bisa ng maagang pagbibigay ng convalescent plasma sa pagpapabuti ng kalagayan ng mga may COVID-19,” the donation call reads.
Donors must be at least 18 to 59 years old, have no severe condition, previously tested positive for COVID-19 through a swab test and has no symptoms of the virus in the past two weeks.
They can register and have themselves be screened by answering a Google Form.
Those who have questions can call the number +63947 488 2817.
Convalescent plasma therapy is a treatment that PGH doctors have been using to help COVID-19 patients, especially those in severe and critical conditions.
It is the process of getting antibody-rich plasma from the disease’s survivors to boost the immune system of those who are currently infected.
COVID-19 survivors are said to have developed antibodies against the coronavirus. These are found in the liquid part of the blood known as plasma.
To extract the antibody-rich plasma, a blood donation is needed.
Once transfused to the COVID-19 patient, the plasma can boost their immune system and increase their chances of recovery.
The treatment has proved to be vital in fighting past outbreaks like the 1918 Spanish Flu to the more recent swine flu pandemic in 2009.
Meanwhile, the country’s death toll on Monday crossed the 16,000-mark.
ABS-CBN data analyst Edson Guido said the death toll just surpassed its 15,000-mark last week.
PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario recently bared that at least five to ten people die in their hospital every day due to COVID-19.
“Napapansin namin, for the past four weeks, at least minimum of 5 deaths per day ang nakukuha namin sa PGH. A range of 5-10, depende,” he was quoted as saying in a Teleradyo interview on Monday.
“Kasi ‘yung iba, talagang pagdating nila sa ospital, malubha na. ‘Yung iba naman po may mga comorbid conditions talaga. ‘Yung iba, maaaring delay na sila makapasok, marami pa silang pinanggalingan,” Del Rosario added.
