MACON, Ga. — Two COVID-19 patients at Coliseum Medical Centers might start feeling some relief from intense symptoms this week.
That's because they received coronavirus antibodies Tuesday morning through convalescent plasma transfusion.
Infectious disease doctor, Jennifer Hoffman, says it's a therapy treatment that has been around for over a century.
"It's actually a very old therapy that was used back in the 1918 flu pandemic," Hoffman said. "The concept is pretty simple. It's that when the antibodies from someone that's recovered are given to someone who is sick, it helps the person who is sick fight off the infection faster and better than they could on their own."
Historically, it's been used to treat diseases like SARS, MERS, and the Spanish Flu.
Now, in a nation-wide study headed up by the Mayo Clinic, doctors are trying it on critical COVID-19 patients.
"It hasn't been proven yet for COVID-19, but we have every reason to expect it will help," Hoffman said. "The plasma is hanging right now in our ICU for two of our patients who have been here for a little while."
But it can't be done without donors, like 28-year-old Jordan Josey, who has fully recovered from the virus.
"If I can give some of my antibodies out so people can avoid this, I will gladly do it," Josey said.
The plasma is collected through The American Red Cross.
Dr. Baia Lasky with The American Red Cross says if a sample has antibodies, its sent out to hospitals across America. If it's negative, it's taken back to the Red Cross inventory.
"We do not require donors to have a previously positive test. All we are asking is that they were likely sick with the virus," Lasky said. "We are shipping it as fast as we possibly can. The demand is really high."
Nation-wide, Lasky says the Red Cross says has only collected around 1,200 or 1,300 COVID-19 plasma units.
Only 18 donors have stepped forward in Georgia, producing about 44 doses of medication.
If you have recovered from COVID-19 and can give, healthcare officials say you might just save another person's life.
The American Red Cross says you must be symptom-free for at least 28 days to donate plasma or have a document showing a negative test result after 14 days.
To learn more about plasma donation from The Red Cross, click here.
If you live in Central Georgia, you can call the Coliseum COVID-19 Plasma Phone Line at (833) 582-1971.
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