Appeal For Plasma From Covid Patients To Continue

The government said on Wednesday it would continue to appeal to people who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their blood plasma for treating other patients and only eight people have answered the call so far.

Only males aged between 18 and 60 are eligible to donate as plasma – the liquid portion of the blood that carries the blood cells and platelets throughout the body – drawn from women were found unsuitable in some circumstances.

In a written reply to a Legco question, the Health Secretary, Sophia Chan, revealed that eight people who have recovered from Covid-19 had donated their blood plasma.

Three patients in critical condition have been treated using the “convalescent plasma”.

“Preliminary data of a study by the University of Hong Kong showed that the viral load of Covid-19 patients was significantly reduced after receiving convalescent plasma treatment,” she said.

She said these plasma can be stored for one year.

The secretary added that health authorities have not set any target for the reserve of convalescent plasma at the moment, but would continue to recruit donors and collect donations as needed to prepare for the development of the epidemic in future.

According to the Department of Health, the city has so far recorded 1,107 confirmed cases and 1,050 have been discharged after treatment.