- COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy is being evaluated to determine if it can benefit patients with COVID-19 infection and lead to clinical improvements.
- As one of the hardest hit locations in California, treatment options for hospitalized COVID-19 patients is of critical importance.
- Without natural immunity and the current lack of effective treatment and a vaccine, convalescent plasma therapy is being researched to determine if it provides patients with antibodies to help them fight the COVID-19 infection.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. May 12, 2020. As one of the hardest hit locations in California, treatment options for hospitalized COVID-19 patients is of critical importance. The clinical staff at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, O’Connor Hospital and St. Louise Regional Hospital are participating in a Mayo Clinic sponsored research study regarding convalescent plasma. The study began at all three facilities on April 9, 2020.
COVID-19 convalescent plasma is being made available to eligible, admitted patients who are critically ill and determined to be at high-risk for developing severe symptoms.
Goals of the research include determining whether plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 can improve oxygenation and reduce the requirement for mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death; and if the COVID-19 convalescent plasma assists in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection by providing patients with antibodies against the virus, while waiting for patients’ immune system to mount an effective response.
Physicians are hopeful that this intervention will provide clinical improvements, but it is too early to arrive at any conclusion.
"Infections like the new coronavirus are dangerous because we do not have antibodies against them. We hope to learn if supplying antibodies can save lives,” says Dr. Dayani Nualles-Percy, the lead investigator of the study at SCVMC. “Given the lack of natural immunity and the lack of a vaccine, plasma therapy may help to provide the body what it needs to fight the infection."
The Food and Drug Administration has issued guidance for the use of investigational COVID-19 convalescent plasma, including expanded access to convalescent plasma given the unprecedented nature of this infection and the lack of effective treatment.
If you have recovered from COVID-19 you may be eligible to donate convalescent plasma and can donate at:
- American Red Cross at https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html
- FDA COVID-19 plasma donation at https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/donate-covid-19-plasma).