Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause illnesses such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In 2019, a new coronavirus was identified as the cause of a disease outbreak that originated in China. The virus is now known as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease it causes is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
Common signs and symptoms can include:
1.Fever
2.Cough
3.Tiredness
*Early symptoms of COVID-19 may include a loss of taste or smell.
Other symptoms can include:
1.Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
2.Muscle aches
3.Chills
4.Sore throat
5.Runny nose
6.Headache
7.Chest pain
8.Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
This list is not all inclusive. Other less common symptoms have been reported, such as rash,
nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.
The severity of COVID-19 symptoms can range from very mild to severe. Some people may have only a few symptoms, and
some people may have no symptoms at all. Some people may experience worsened symptoms, such as worsened shortness of breath and pneumonia, about a week after symptoms start. People who are older have a higher risk of serious illness
from COVID-19, and the risk increases with age. People who have existing chronic medical conditions also may have a higher risk of serious illness.
A patient positive for COVID-19 has been prescribed for Plasma by the attending doctor, patient may be of any age group You already have a replacement donor or not – if you have a donor then we will facilitate their donation of Plasma Plasma therapy is
a treatment where the plasma (the straw-coloured, liquid component of blood that acts as a transporting medium) from a recovered patient is injected in the body of an infected patient. It has been observed that the antibodies present
in the recovered patient’s blood neutralise the virus present in the COVID patient’s body. Thus, the treatment is being suggested for patients who are moderately affected by the virus. Plasma can be donated once in 14 days. plasma
therapy is still being conducted on trial basis and does not promise a cure.
Among the three categories of COVID patients (severe, moderate and mild), plasma therapy is suggested for patients who have been moderately infected by the virus. The oxygen saturation of the moderately-infected patient would be below 90% (average value) and he would need external oxygen support. Patients with mild condition often recover easily themselves, whereas the chances of recovery in a severely-infected patient are slim, hence the therapy is suggested by the respective medical teams for moderately-infected patients.
COVID recovered persons are actively encouraged to donate plasma to treat other patients. A plasma donor should fulfil the following criteria Recovered people aged between 18 and 60 are eligible to donate. Plasma from pregnant women and subjects with comorbid conditions should be avoided for COVID treatment. The haemoglobin level of the donor should be above 12.5 g/dL and weight 55 kgs at the least. The donor must have been admitted at the hospital for COVID treatment. Asymptomatic patients are ineligible to donate. The donor’s plasma should have antibodies for treating COVID. Antibodies develop automatically once they have recovered. A report certifying the presence of antibodies should be produced before plasma donation. Plasma can be donated 14 days after getting discharged. The donor should have a COVID test report certifying the negative result, if they are donating between 14 days and 28 days after discharge. If the donor does not have the report, the test can be taken before donating plasma at the hospital. Test reports are not needed if the recovered person donates after more than 28 days from the date of discharge. “If the person is hale and healthy after the window period, it signifies that the virus is neutralised with the antibodies. Hence, reports are not mandatory and tests need not be taken before donation,” added the doctor-in-charge.