Have you recovered from COVID-19? Here’s how you can help others through convalescent plasma treatment

ORLANDO, Fla. — If you’ve recovered from COVID-19, you may be able to help others who are fighting for their lives against the virus.

Officials at Orlando Health said they are working to educate patients and community members about ways they may be able to help make COVID-19 convalescent plasma a treatment option for others.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma as an emergency investigational treatment for critically ill patients with coronavirus.

READ: ‘Without the plasma, I’d be dead’: Experimental procedure allows Central Florida dad to return home after being in medically induced coma from COVID-19

Orlando Health officials said convalescent plasma is collected through blood donation from patients who have recovered from an infection such as COVID-19. They said the antibodies within this plasma can boost an infected patient’s immune system and potentially help them recover more quickly.

Kevin Rathel, 52, was the first COVID-19 patient at Orlando Health to be infused with convalescent plasma. On April 4, doctors at Orlando Health put him in a medically induced coma, not knowing if he’d ever pull through.

On Monday, 16 days later, he’s back home with his wife and kids. Click here or watch the video below to see him describe his experience to Channel 9.

VIDEO: Experimental procedure allows Central Florida dad to return home after being in medically induced coma from COVID-19 After fighting for his life against COVID-19, Kevin Rathel was treated with convalescent plasma therapy that, he says, saved his life.

Officials said eligible donors must meet the following criteria:

• Eligible to donate blood
• Prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by an FDA-approved laboratory test
• Complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days prior to donation of convalescent plasma AND a documented negative FDA-approved COVID-19 test OR
• Complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days prior to donation

READ: Coronavirus: ‘Convalescent plasma’ study to begin at Massachusetts hospital

The plasma can be collected either from whole-blood or plasma-only donors.

For more information on the process and how you can participate, contact OneBlood at 1-888-9Donate (1-888-936-6283) and select option 9, or click here.

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VIDEO: Convalescent Plasma Therapy: What is it? A look at convalescent plasma therapy, and what it means for the fight against COVID-19.

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