Blood bank says convalescent plasma treatment has so far been 'promising'

Blood bank says convalescent plasma treatment has so far been 'promising'

CONVALESCENT PLASMA IS BEINGUSED TO TREAT COVID-19PATIENTS IN KERN COUNTY.OFFICIALS AT HOUCHIN BLOODBANK SAY, SO FAR, THE RESULTSARE PROMISING.THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUGADMINISTRATION SAYS, ALTHOUGHPROMISING, CONVALESCENT PLASMAHAS NOT YET BEEN SHOWNTO BE A SAFE AND EFFECTIVETREATMENT FOR COVID-19.

STILL,HOSPITALS AROUND THE WORLD AREUSING IT TO TREATPATIENTS WHO NEED THE MOST CARE.INCLUDING SOME PATIENTS INKERN COUNTY."PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING OFF THEVENTILATORS IF THEY GET A DOSEOF THISPLASMA, THEY ARE BEING RELEASEDFROM THE HOSPITAL, I HAVE HEARDVERYGOOD RESULTS."JOSIE PIPPERT IS WITH HOUCHINBLOOD BANK, AND SHE SAYS THEPLASMA HAS BEEN A SUCCESS SOFAR.

IT'S UNCLEAR HOW MANYPATIENTS HAVE BEEN HELPED BY IT,BUT PIPPERT SAYS ABOUT 53DOSES HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TOHOSPITALS.

ALL OF THE PLASMACAMEFROM LOCAL DONORS, BUT FINDINGDONORS IS A TALL TASK DUETO HIPAA LAWS, SHE SAYS."WE CAN'T FIND THEM OR CALL THEMUP BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO YOUAREOUT THERE."CONVALESCENT PLASMA IS DONATEDFROM PEOPLE WHOHAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD COVID-19 ANDRECOVERED FROM IT.

THE PLASMA ISTHOUGHT TO WORK BECAUSE ARECOVERED PATIENT'S PLASMAHAS THE ANTIBODIES NECESSARY TOBEAT THE VIRUS.KERN PUBLIC HEALTH SAYS OVER1,500 PEOPLE IN THECOUNTY HAVE RECOVERED, BUT ONLY24 PEOPLE HAVE DONATED ATHOUCHIN."THE PLASMA DONATION TAKES ABOUT45 MINUTES ON A MACHINE."PIPPERT SAYS ONE DONATION CAN BEUSED TO HELP UP TO FIVEPEOPLE...AND SO FAR, ALL OFHOUCHIN'S DONATIONS HAVE BEENUSED ON LOCAL PATIENTS.IF YOU ARE INTERESTED INDONATING CONVALESCENT PLASMA,HOUCHIN ASKS YOU TO CALL THEIRCOVID-19 HOTLINE AT 616- 2575.IN BAKERSFIELD AUSTIN WESTFALL23ABCCONNECTING YOU.LET'S CHECK IN NOW WITH 23ABC'SALYSSA FLORES FOR A