UPSTATE — AnMed Health is part of the Mayo Clinic led national Convalescent Expanded Access Program to use plasma from COVID-19 survivors to help critically ill COVID-19 patients recover.
The donated plasma is rich in antibodies that might help those patients fight the virus. So far, three AnMed Health patients have been treated with convalescent plasma.
“We have already started treating patients with convalescent plasma, but it is too early to determine the effects. We are using plasma as well as other treatments like antiviral medication while we partner with major academic centers to stay on the cutting edge of treating this disease. We constantly re-evaluate our treatment strategies to determine what is best for our patients, and convalescent plasma has been an integral part of the treatment algorithm we are bringing to our community,” said Dr. Michael Seemuller, AnMed Health Physician Network Services chair of quality and safety committee and medical director at AnMed Health Wren Family Medicine.
Dr. Syed Malik of AnMed Health Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine added, “Individuals must have had a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by a laboratory test and meet other donor criteria. Further, individuals must have complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days before they donate, or alternatively have no symptoms for at least 14 days prior to donation and have a negative lab test for active COVID-19 disease.”
People who have had COVID-19 can make an appointment with The Blood Connection to donate their plasma. Appointments can be made by calling The Blood Connection at 864-751-1168.
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