MANATEE COUNTY – He was critically ill with COVID-19.
Doctors set to place him on a ventilator at Manatee Memorial Hospital, until Suncoast Blood Centers stepped in.
“Within 12 hours of my request, we were able to access that product to be available and eventually transfused to that patient which we needed it for,” says Dr. Satnam Singh with Manatee Memorial Hospital.
The product Dr. Singh is referring to is COVID-19 convalescent plasma.
“It’s not something new. All animal beings, if they’re exposed to any infectious agent, or foreign protein the body reacts to tackle it through immune responsive generating, we call this neutralizing antibodies,” says Dr. Singh.
Like any transfusion process, factors must line up perfectly to successfully treat a patient.
“Now obviously the plasma has to be perfectly matching, close to the blood type of the patient. Essentially one transfusion it’s infused over a time period of one to two hours,” says Dr. Singh.
Dr. Singh says the process carries the same risks as any other blood transfusion.
“Looking at this patient’s response that we have something in our government that we can use to treat these patients who are at the brink of death,” says Dr. Singh.
But it can’t be done without your help.
“We actually do have a very limited number of antibody test right now, so if you think you had it or have a documented lab report, we have set up a special phone line where you can be screened. We’re asking people not to just walk in because there is process,” says Jayne Giroux with SunCoast Blood Center.
To start that process call 941-993-8119 or visit https://www.scbb.org/covid-19.html
