Mercy pushes for plasma donations from COVID survivors to help treat patients

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    ROGERS, AR (KFSM) — Due to the rise of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in Arkansas, Mercy is reaching out to patients via the MyMercy app and online patient portal to ask those who have tested positive for coronavirus to consider giving plasma.

The liquid portion of blood from recovered COVID-19 patients called convalescent plasma may contain antibodies that can help others fight the virus, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Arkansas Blood Institute in the River Valley and Community Blood Center of the Ozarks in Northwest Arkansas are urging recovered COVID-19 patients to sign up to donate convalescent plasma.

“We’re still learning about COVID antibodies,” said JoAnne Levy, vice president of Mercy Research. “Our goal is to contact potential donors and receive convalescent plasma when antibody levels may possibly be at their highest. That way, the donated plasma may be the most effective in helping others. And, as we learn more, we’ll adapt our approaches.”

To be eligible, donors must have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and symptom-free for 14 days prior to donation. If patients have received convalescent plasma or a blood donation as part of their treatment, they must wait three months to donate their own convalescent plasma.

Once the patient is qualified, plasma will be drawn. A single plasma donation can provide therapeutic plasma for up to four seriously ill patients.

Until now, the Mercy Research team has been calling recovered patients to see if they’re willing to donate.

“Patients will be able to hit a button that indicates they’re interested,” said Laura Canter, manager of non-oncology research for Mercy. “Then we can reach out to them accordingly.”

“Time is of the essence in the fight against COVID-19,” added Dr. John Armitage, president and CEO of Arkansas Blood Institute. “Even a brief delay in transfusing convalescent plasma may cost someone their life or prolong the severe symptoms of this virus. We are urging anyone who has recovered from COVID-19, or who has tested positive for the antibodies, to take the time to donate convalescent plasma as soon as possible so that our fellow Arkansans suffering the worst symptoms of the coronavirus can be treated swiftly and get on the road to recovery.”

Mercy patients who do not have a MyMercy account can contact mercyresearchinfo@mercy.net for more information.

River Valley patients who received a positive COVID-19 test from a health care provider other than Mercy can reach out directly to the Arkansas Blood Institute by visiting bit.ly/covid19-registry or calling (888) 308-3924.

In Northwest Arkansas, patients can contact the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks by calling (417) 227-5324.

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