Coronavirus pandemic has taken over the world. Till now 25,65,059 people have been affected worldwide. On one hand where there is disheartening news, at the same time one bosting news has come.
Experimental plasma treatment proved to be a helping hand in the world’s fight against the pandemic. The first two coronavirus patients in New Jersey, according to the hospital system, are making “remarkable” recoveries after receiving the experimental plasma treatment at Virtua Voorhees Hospital.
The hospital system took off both Renne Bannister, a 63- year old teacher and Andy Fie, a 61-year old opera singer, from ventilators and moved out of intensive care beds. As per Dr. Eric Sztejman, a medical director for Virtua Health, the transfusions were performed just days after the clinical trial was announced. He also expressed his contentment of being among the first nation to explore this promising approach to combating the coronavirus.
The experimental plasma treatment has been received by approximately 600 patients nationwide. Basically, the treatment involves a transfusion of convalescent plasma, donated by someone who has recently from coronavirus and thus has protective antibodies, with a goal of helping the sick person’s immune system fight off the virus. Virtua Voorhees Hospital being a part of health care organizations and companies led by the Mayo Clinic, is helping in the evaluation of this treatment.
Renne Bannister was the first state resident to go through the transfusion after her niece donated he necessary plasma. According to the health system, Bannister was admitted on March 22 and her recovery was apparently, impossible despite various medical treatments.
As per Virtua, a team was led by Dr Lukasz Polisiakiewicz at Virtua for the treatment and eventually got approval from the FDA to try it a day after the treatment got authorised. Bannister received the plasma on April 3, which was extracted by the Virtua doctors with the American Red Cross.
Renne’s condition improved after the transfusion. Her oxygen flow returned to normal ranges within five days. She was removed from the ventilator after eleven days and now out of the ICU. She would continue her recovery at a rehabilitation centre before going home.
On April 5, Fie also received plasma from Bannister’s niece and was taken off the ventilator after nine days. He is out of ICU and would go home most probably in May.
Coronavirus which has no cure or vaccine yet, is a huge threat to the mankind. The convalescent plasma proves to be an efficacious weapon against the virus. Moreover, similar methods were used to treat the 1918 influenza pandemic and measles a hundred years ago.
