SAN ANTONIO – A local OB/GYN who recovered from COVID-19 has donated her plasma in the hopes that it will help others recover from the virus.
After returning from a trip to Colorado, Doctor Elizabeth King began to feel tired. When she realized she was running a fever, she went to get tested for the coronavirus, which later turned out to be positive.
Dr. King has now fully recovered and has donated convalescent plasma to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.
Researchers believe that the antibodies in the plasma of someone that has recovered from the virus can help develop a potential treatment.
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The plasma is also being used to treat patients who are still infected in the hopes that it boosts their ability to fight off the virus.
“You know, you hear these stories and you want to help patients recover from this. There’s no vaccine. There’s no true treatment. There is definitely no cure, and so, if there’s some way that I’m able to provide a treatment opportunity for a patient and potentially reverse or improve their cause, I definitely want to be a part of that,” King said.
The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center began accepting convalescent plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients last month.
Since then, they have had 24 donors and have been able to collect 140 units.
If you have recovered from the disease and are interested in donating, email COVID19@southtexasblood.org.
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