Could Plasma from Coronavirus Survivors Unlock New Treatments?

Could plasma donations from Coronavirus survivors help those most severely affected by the disease? And we've heard a lot about our physical health during the pandemic. What about our mental and emotional health? We find answers on El Paso Townsquare.

This week, I spoke with Vitalant's Carol Alexander, South Region Marketing and Communications Manager for America's largest independent blood provider. What she has to share might well end up being a sea change in the treatment of novel coronavirus patients, all from what's already inside almost every survivor of the disease –– their plasma.

Alexander was clear –– what is being worked on is not a vaccine to innoculate against COVID-19, they are treatments for those who already have it and are in the most dire shape because of it. It is an emergency investigational treatment.

But...

Because it comes from a tried and true source –– plasma donation has been around since the 1940's –– the US Food and Drug Administration has already approved convalescent plasma treatments for the most seriously ill COVID-19 patients. It's the only antibody treatment available. As such, Vitalant calls is "a promising new tool" in the fight against the disease.

And Alexander also helped break some news: El Paso had its first coronavirus survivor donate through Vitalant's program this week.

If you are a coronavirus survivor, click this link to find out more about how you can help save lives right here in El Paso, or call 866-287-5762.

Check out the whole interview above and marvel: how quickly has science already started shining a ray of hope in the darkness?

Speaking of treatments, we've heard an awful lot about how we should be taking care of our bodies in the midst of the pandemic (who doesn't need some lotion for those raw knuckles these days?), but there is an emerging health issue that should get just as much attention: mental and emotional well-being.

What a treat to have board-certified licensed professional counselor Fernando Muñíz on the show to talk about what we can do to deal with these incredibly stressful times. How should we cope with sudden changes as whole families shelter in place together? What about children? What about seniors?

Muñíz offered some wonderful advice, especially for helping Hispanic seniors who traditionally "don't want to be a bother" to their families.

It's all here in this week's El Paso Townsquare.