Thai Red Cross asks recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma to treat other patients

The Thai Red Cross Society told the media on Monday that it had requested plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat other patients. The Thai Red Cross said that studies of the use of plasma from recovered patients in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Shanghai, have shown that it is effective and safe and the method has been approved by both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration.

"Studies showed that the antibodies of plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19, can be used in the treatment of severe cases of the disease," said Dr. Dutjai Chaivanichsiri, director of the blood center of the Thai Red Cross Society.

"The plasma can be used as an alternative treatment for patients suffering from serious lung infections after contracting COVID-19, the plasma can ease symptoms, until a vaccine is available," said Dutjai.

However, plasma donors must be fully recovered from the disease, been discharged from hospital and gone through a 14-day home quarantine.

Meanwhile Dr. Yong Pooworavan, a virologist from the Faculty of Medical Science at Chulalongkorn University, said that the recovered patients are now immune to COVID-19, and their plasma can be used to stop the virus from damaging the lungs and other parts of the body of newly infected COVID-19 patients.

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Monday reported 51 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily increase since March 20.

Out of the 51 newly confirmed cases, 13 were health workers.

The total infections in the country now stand at 2,220, with a total death toll at 26.