Pakistani doctors dealing with Coronavirus are desperately pleading to recovered COVID-19 patients to donate their plasma.

Plasma therapy is being used worldwide for the treatment of COVID-19. Pakistan is no exception. This century-old technique which has been quite effective in treating several infections in the past is showing significant promise against COVID-19.

The logic behind this therapy is that people who have been infected with the novel coronavirus form antibodies in a matter of a few days after becoming infected. These antibodies are tailor-made by the immune system to fight off the infection and are felt to be a key component of recovery. Antibodies are of paramount significance in neutralizing the virus.

About 3-4 weeks after a person recovers, blood can be drawn to look for the coveted antibodies. Convalescent plasma - the liquid part of blood where the potentially life-saving COVID antibodies are present - is collected from willing patients who have recovered from COVID-19. Doctors then inject it to hospitalized COVID patients to help them recover.

This means that if you've fully recovered from the viral disease, you can help patients fighting the infection by donating your plasma. Antibodies in your plasma may prove to be a lifesaver for such patients.

Doctors in Pakistan and all over the world are asking recovered COVID patients to donate their plasma as it's critical for the recovery of other patients. The situation in our homeland is bleak as there is a shortage of plasma bags and people are reluctant to donate. A couple of days ago, head of Pakistan’s National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD), Prof. Tahir Shamsi notified the public that there are only 4-5 plasma bags left and we desperately need more donations.

https://twitter.com/62Shamsi/status/1266942468970426368?s=19

We urgently need a centralized system by which covid-free people can donate plasma and the patients can receive plasma of their required blood type. Without any further ado, the government must work on this.

It's to be noted that even if you haven't had COVID-19, you must still consider donating your blood as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges to our blood banks' reserves. There are thousands of patients who need blood donations regularly especially thalassemia patients.