Bengaluru: BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, who recovered from COVID-19 last month, donated plasma on Monday.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have given party workers the mantra of 'seva bhav' (service). Inspired by it, I took blessings of our president JP Nadda and donated plasma today. Request all those who suffered from COVID and have regained fitness to donate plasma," Patra tweeted.
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Plasma therapy aims at transfusing plasma (a component of blood) containing antibodies donated by a recovered COVID-19 patient to coronavirus patients who are in critical or serious condition. Many state governments and hospitals have set up plasma banks.
Patra also posted pictures of his meeting with Nadda before donating plasma at a hospital.
The BJP spokesperson had contracted the virus a few weeks ago and was hospitalised for few days at a private facility in Gurgaon.
In simple terms, Convalescent Plasma Therapy can be thought of as a technique in which the component of blood of a person who has just recovered from COVID-19 are given to those who are sick or those at high risk of contracting the same virus. It is done thru blood transfusion.
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Well, the immune system of those who have just recovered from COVID-19 produces antibodies that fight the virus. These antibodies are found in the plasma or liquid part of the blood and are produced by immune cells known as B lymphocytes. It also helps the blood clot and increases immunity.
These antibodies stay in the plasma ingredient of the blood and are always ready to take on the virus if they reappear.
So when these antibodies are transfused to another individual who has COVID-19, he too can fight the disease with the help of the antibodies transfused into his body.