Kejriwal appeal to donate plasma: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged those who recover from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to donate plasma for those hospitalized with severe infections after the condition of four people treated with the therapy appeared to show improvement.

WHAT IS CONVALESCENT PLASMA THERAPY?

The convalescent plasma therapy aims at using antibodies from the blood of a recovered COVID-19 patient to treat those critically affected by the virus. The therapy can also be used to immunize those at a high risk of contracting the virus — such as health workers, families of patients and other high-risk contacts.

“The initial results are very promising and I would request those who have recovered from the coronavirus infection to come and donate their plasma. Many of you must have donated blood for dengue – for that too, we do not take the blood, only the platelets are taken out and the rest of the blood goes back to your body,” Kejriwal further added in his statement.

The trial is currently being conducted in only LNJP Hospital and four patients have received plasma. Two more patients are likely to receive plasma on Friday.

“From the four patients – two received plasma on Tuesday. They were in ICU and they are now in a position to be moved to award. We have got limited trial permission from the central government. We will apply next week to treat all serious patients with this therapy. We are still recording the therapy and its results but this news is giving us motivation,” Delhi CM added.

Doctors working on the trial said they use the therapy on patients who have in the second stage of the disease when their lungs are affected.

The government plans to reach out to recovered patients to ask them to donate. Kejriwal said the government will also arrange transport for them to come to the hospital to donate plasma. “ he further appealed,  ”I request whoever has recovered to help those who are suffering and help them recover. If the plasma works, you can help save a person’s life.”

Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said the government will conduct more clinical trials of plasma therapy in the next two-three days. Thereafter, the government will seek Centre’s nod to use the therapy on all serious COVID-19 patients across the city, he added.