The UK is in the process of starting trials to use blood of Coronavirus survivors to treat patients with the disease. – By Prudence Wanza
The form of treatment; plasma treatment will involve asking people who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate blood so they can potentially assess the therapy in trials.
Doctors hope that the antibodies they have built up will help to clear the virus in others.
Scientifically, when a person has Covid-19, their immune system responds by creating antibodies which attack the virus.
The NHSBT in the UK is now approaching patients who have recovered from Covid-19 to see if plasma from them can be given to people who are currently ill with the disease.
“If fully approved, the trials will investigate whether convalescent plasma transfusions could improve a Covid-19 patient’s speed of recovery and chances of survival.
“All clinical trials have to follow a rigorous approval process to protect patients and to ensure robust results are generated. We are working closely with the government and all relevant bodies to move through the approvals process as quickly as possible.”
