On the afternoon of Feb 20, the second recovered coronavirus patient in Tianjin donated his convalescent plasma at Haihe Hospital. The donator, 29, is the first in Tianjin who donated his plasma after recovery from coronavirus. The plasma will be employed to treat patients in severe conditions.
“The therapy of plasma from recovered patients” for the medical treatment of the coronavirus patients displaying serious or critical symptoms or with rapid disease progression was added into the latest guideline over the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 issued by National Health Commission on Feb 19.
The two units (400 milliliters) of plasma from the donor will be used for the medical treatment of patients in severe or critical conditions, which officially launched a relay to encourage plasma donation by recovered patients to save the lives of critically ill COVID-19 patients. The donor had a strong willingness to donate. After early publicity, screening and assessment by Haihe Hospital and relevant tests by the Tianjin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin Blood Center carried out an on-site plasma collection for him.
According to Shao Shifeng, deputy president of Haihe Hospital, plasma donation of recovered patients is of great significance to the treatment of patients in critical conditions, which will help promote the prevention and control of the epidemic.
“I’m willing to as long as I can make some contribution to the epidemic control efforts. I decided to donate my plasma after I knew its effectiveness during my recovery. I hope more recovered patients will be encouraged to donate their plasma through my efforts," said the donor.
The Joint Charity Donors Program initiated by the Chinese Red Cross Foundation as well as Tianjin Health Commission, Red Cross Society of China Tianjin Branch and Tianjin Blood Center rewarded the “anti-epidemic” plasma donor with Honor Award Salute, Blood Donor Card, “Fraternity” Medal and Certificate of Red Cross Foundation together with humanitarian assistance, which aim at honoring his “tenacity in fighting the epidemic and charity and sacrifice in donating plasma”.
On Feb 18, Tianjin Health Commission, Red Cross Society of China Tianjin Branch and other departments jointly organized “the expert panel on the therapy of convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients”, with Wu Qi, leader of the municipal expert group for the treatment of COVID-19 and professor of the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University as the panel leader. The panel has four affiliates: recruitment group, treatment group, preparation group and quality control group with members from Haihe Hospital, Tianjin First Central Hospital, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Blood Center and the Transaction Center of Red Cross Society of China Tianjin Branch. The expert panel on plasma therapy, under unified deployment of the expert group for the treatment of COVID-19, is responsible for the mobilization of plasma donation, plasma collection and preparation as well as clinical treatment and application. It will step up efforts to safeguard the whole process of plasma therapy, ensuring the health of donors and safe and effective use of the therapy for the patients, and guiding the collection and preparation personnel in conducting personal protection and workplace disinfection.
“Plasma therapy serves as one of the therapeutic methods for COVID-19 patients. The state has promoted plasma donation by recovered patients and made corresponding requirements. And Tianjin have also held several seminars with experts from Tianjin Blood Center and others experts in blood transfusion and infection. The relevant experts and departments involved are making preparation and have come to the stage of evaluation-implementation,” Wu said.
Zhang Rongjiang, secretary of the Party committee and director of Tianjin Blood Center, said that plasma therapy will be used in clinical treatment of patients displaying severe or critical symptoms, after virus inactivation and strict detection of blood viruses and antibodies for the novel coronavirus and other tests according to the relevant technical requirements of National Health Commission.
Tianjin Health Commission, Red Cross Society of China Tianjin Branch, Tianjin Blood Center, Haihe Hospital and other departments will jointly call for qualified cured patients to donate their plasma, in principle of protecting the health of the plasma donor and donating voluntarily, as a drive to save those patients who are still struggling with the disease.
