Plasma drive Jan. 8 to help COVID-19 patients.

Plasma drive Jan. 8 to help COVID-19 patients.

HART — A plasma drive at First Baptist Church Jan. 8 will involve collecting plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to help treat others diagnosed with the virus.

This blood-related treatment — authorized by the FDA as an Emergency Use Authorized (EUA) product — could offer hope to the hundreds of patients who continue to be diagnosed. This treatment would be used by hospitals for the most severely-affected patients.

Potential convalescent plasma donors must:

– Have had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 by physician and laboratory testing; and
– Must be symptom-free for 14 days before being eligible to donate.

The plasma drive is set for Friday, Jan. 8, from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, located at 3258 North 72nd Ave., in Hart.

Visit versiti.org/covid19plasma for more information and to schedule an appointment. Appointments must be made through a Versiti representative and should be arranged soon. Potential plasma donors go through a screening process which takes a few extra steps ahead of time — not the day of the drive.

“Due to the urgent/critical need for convalescent plasma from recovered COVID people, we are hosting a drive for convalescent plasma and also a regular blood drive,” said Oceana County Coordinator Kathy Roskam. “We host drives every other month, but this one is an extra drive specific to getting those plasma donations. Our hospitals in Michigan are running low on this plasma that is used to treat those with COVID in the hospitals.

“The need for convalescent plasma is critical in our hospitals in Michigan. Versiti Blood, which used to go by the name Michigan Blood, keeps their donations in Michigan, helping our family, friends and neighbors.”

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