BAGUIO CITY – Ibinahagi ng isang COVID-19 survivor sa Seattle, Washington ang kanyang pagsailalim sa convalescent plasma therapy.
Ang convalescent plasma therapy ay ang pagsalin ng dugo mula sa mga naka-recover sa COVID-19 sa mga coronavirus positive patients, na kasalukuyan rin ay ginagawa na sa Pilipinas.
Sa exclusive interview ng Star FM Baguio kay Elizabeth Schneider, isang coronavirus recovered patient sa Estados Unidos, sinabi nitong nagboluntaryo ito agad nang malaman niya ang patungkol sa nasabing medical procedure.
“I actually volunteered and as soon as I heard about it, I wanted to get involved. I was also getting personal messages through my Facebook of people in the United States who have friends, family members or loved ones who are in the hospital, very, very sick from the coronavirus and potentially dying. These people were desperately asking for anyone to donate their plasma from someone like me who has recovered.”
Ikinuwento naman nito ang kanyang naging karanasan sa pagsailalim sa therapy.
“There’s a local blood bank here in Seattle called Bloodworks Northwest and they have a program where they are collecting plasma from survivors. Because I have recovered from the coronavirus, my immune system was able to fight the virus off on its own. I likely had anti-bodies in my blood that can detect the virus. One of the ways the doctors are trying to tell patients with COVID-19 is by taking plasma from those who have recovered, and infusing it into its patients in the hope that those anti-bodies will fight off the virus in people who are suffering and are potentially at risk of dying. This is called convalescent plasma therapy. On April 10, I became the first person in the state of Washington to donate my plasma as a coronavirus survivor to give to patients who are currently suffering in the hospital with the coronavirus infection. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour. You’re connected to a machine, and the machine takes your blood. According to the blood bank, you can donate every week for 20 weeks. I’ve donated twice.”
Sinabi rin naman ng Seattle resident na hindi pa nito natitiyak kung nagamit na ang kanyang plasma sa mga pasyente, ngunit ayon sa kanilang local bank, naihatid na ang mga nakolektang sample sa mga ospital.
“I don’t know for sure if my plasma has been used in patients yet. However, I was told that all of the plasma that the local blood bank has collected so far from coronavirus survivors has all been sent out to hospitals already.”
Inamin rin nito na nagagalak siya na makatulong sa mga experts sa kanilang patuloy na pag-aaral sa COVID-19, at lalo na sa mabilis na paggaling ng iba pang mga pasyente.
“I could potentially save someone else’s life. My personal experience with coronavirus was not severe and I almost feel a little guilty that I had it and it was very mild and I recovered, but other people are being hospitalized and are dying. But I think one thing I can do, is I can give back to other people, by literally providing my own blood plasma to these other people. This makes me very happy that I’m able to help science. I’m able to help scientists who are working really hard to find a vaccine and a cure for this virus. I’m actually very happy that I can help other people who are seriously ill right now, and that my plasma could be a life saver.”
Nanawagan rin naman ito sa iba pang mga coronavirus survivors na mag donate ng dugo para magamit sa mga tinamaan ng virus.
“If you are a survivor like me, if you are someone who had the virus and you recovered, I encourage you please reach out to your local blood bank and talk to them about donating plasma because you can literally save someone else’s life. It can be a little scary, but that 45 minutes to an hour of your time can mean life or death to someone.”
