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Coronavirus

Surgeon general calls on coronavirus survivors to donate convalescent plasma

Jerome Adams said that Americans need to use 'every tool in our toolbox'

By Alexandria Hein Fox News
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The U.S. surgeon general is calling on Americans who have recovered from coronavirus to donate plasma in order to help those who are still battling the illness. Surgeon General Jerome Adams sad current ongoing research shows that convalescent plasma is "safe and, when it’s given early and contains a high concentration of antibodies, it can help improve a patient’s chance of recovery."

"If you are among the millions of Americans who have had COVID-19, you may have a precious resource that can help save other lives," Adams said, in a statement released Monday. "Plasma donated by people who have recovered from COVID-19 may contain antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease. These antibodies may help suppress the virus and provide patients with clinical benefit."

Convalescent plasma was granted EUA in August for the treatment of hospitalized coronavirus patients.  (iStock)

The FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to COVID-19 convalescent plasma for the treatment of hospitalized coronavirus patients in August. However, the agency said that those who have recovered from the virus but have also received a COVID-19 should abstain from donating convalescent plasma "because of the uncertainty regarding the quality of the immune response produced by such investigational vaccines."

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Adams said that donating plasma could be "just like wearing a mask" in terms of banding together as a nation to fight COVID-19.

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"We need to use every tool in our toolbox to protect Americans from harm," he said. "We must wash our hands, wear masks and watch our distance. Just like wearing a mask, donating CCP is a way for individuals to help in our nation’s fight against COVID-19. Donating CCP is safe, and may spare others from lengthy hospitalizations, and from suffering the most severe effects of COVID-19."