Red Cross urges Covid-19 survivors to donate plasma

MANILA – What the Philippine Red Cross convalescent plasma center gained in five months, it lost in five days as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.

Senator Richard Gordon, PRC chair and CEO, thus encouraged individuals who have recovered from the disease to donate their much-needed plasma to help those who are still infected.

“We need to have sufficient supply of convalescent plasma to help those who are confined in hospitals due to the disease,” he said.

Convalescent plasma therapy may be given to Covid-19 patients to help them recover since it could lessen the severity or shorten the length of the disease.

The PRC has served 686 patients from 88 hospitals from July 13, 2020 to March 25, 2021, dispensing 784 units of plasma.

Current inventory, however, showed the PRC is left with just eight units.

“With a number of hospitals, especially those that are dedicated for Covid-19, now at full capacity due to the exponential rise in cases, we can help prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by donating plasma since Covid patients will recover in a shorter time. Covid survivors can become heroes,” Gordon said.

The Department of Health recorded 11,028 new cases and 41,205 recoveries on Sunday.