India's first plasma bank for for coronavirus patients became operational in the national capital on Thursday.?
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated the facility as he appealed to recovered COVID-19 patients to come forward and donate plasma to help those suffering from the infectious disease.
The Delhi government has launched country's first plasma bank at the ILBS Hospital, ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took to twitter to make the announcement.
If you're willing to donate your plasma, here's what you need to know:
1. Only those aged between 18 and 50 and weighing not less than 50 kg can donate their plasma for COVID-19 patients.
2) If you are eligible and willing to donate plasma, then you call on the number 1031 or you can WhatsApp to 8800007722. The doctors will then get in touch with you to further confirm your eligibility,?
3) If you have recovered from coronavirus and your age is between 18 and 60, and your weight is above 50 kg, then you may donate plasma for COVID-19 patients. However, women?who have been pregnant even once in their lives cannot be donors. Cancer survivors, patients undergoing dialysis or who have hypertension or sugar imbalance also cannot be donors.
4)?Plasma donation would take 45 minutes to an hour after basic tests are run on the donor.
5) Delhi CM also said that?relatives of a COVID-19 patient are free to give plasma to the patient and it is not necessary to only donate to the bank.?
In the plasma therapy, antibodies from blood of patients, who have recovered from coronavirus, are used to treat infected patients. It is aimed at assessing the efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications in coronavirus patients.