Delhi banks on plasma to beat Covid-19

NEW DELHI: Convalescent plasma therapy has been recommended to aid moderately severe Covid-19 patients get back on their feet quickly, helped by the antibodies in the plasma of patients who have recovered from the infection. To get the blood component in meaningful quantities, Delhi government inaugurated a plasma Bank at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in south Delhi on Thursday.


After inaugurating the facility, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal interacted with a few plasma donors. In the CV therapy, the blood plasma retrieved from recovered Covid patients with antibodies to fight the infection are infused in a corona patient, increasing chances of recovery by almost 35%.

While making the announcement of setting up the bank earlier this week, Kejriwal had emphasised that plasma therapy was “not the ultimate cure” for Covid and lives couldn’t all be saved by it. “It is extremely difficult to save the patient who is suffering from multi-organ failures and extreme co-morbidities. But CV therapy is helpful for patients whose condition is not too serious yet,” the CM had said.

On Thursday, at a digital press conference, Kejriwal invited those who had fully recovered from the coronavirus infection to donate plasma to save lives. Those fulfilling the eligibility criteria and willing to be a donor can call the 1031 helpline number or register on WhatsApp number 8800007722. After the registration, a Delhi government doctor will contact the potential donor for verification and further progress. Urging potential donors to come forward, Kejriwal said, “People were finding it difficult to get plasma. We hope that the situation will improve with this plasma bank becoming operational.” He said the initiative would only be successful if more recovered Covid patients came forward to donate plasma.

Under the guidelines, patients who have beaten Covid-19 and don’t exhibit symptoms for 14 days, weighing over 50kg and aged 18-60 years can donate blood plasma. Pregnant women, diabetics, those with blood pressure higher than 140 and less than 60 or over 90, cancer survivors or people with chronic kidney, heart, lung and liver diseases cannot be donors.

Kejriwal said more than 58,000 people had so far recovered from Covid in Delhi, but the stringent criteria made very few people suitable as plasma donors. “You get very few opportunities to save someone's life. If God has given you this chance, please do not hesitate to use it,” the CM urged.

Talking to reporters, Kejriwal, who was accompanied by deputy CM Manish Sisodia at the inauguration, also said that Delhi government would send a vehicle to pick and drop donors and those coming to the bank on their won would be reimbursed the travel cost.

He requested patients requiring plasma not to contact ILBS directly. If the patient required the therapy, the treating doctor or hospital would contact the plasma bank. Till the time a vaccine was finalised, CV therapy would help corona patients, he said, adding, “I am not claiming that plasma therapy will end all deaths due to Covid, but we hope that the death rate will decline and more people will recover and return to their homes.” The CM also expressed happiness that plasma therapy trials had started in other parts of the country, including Maharashtra, the worst hit state.