Road to Recovery
Renowned oncologist Dr SHEKHAR SALKAR discusses whether one of the solutions to fighting COVID-19 lies within the plasma of those who have already recovered
While the world eagerly awaits the discovery of a miracle vaccine to overcome the looming danger of the novel
coronavirus pandemic, scientists and
medical researchers are working
tirelessly towards alternate solutions.
One is a convalescent plasma
treatment that involves injecting a
COVID-19 patient with the plasma
from someone who recently recovered
from the virus. A World Health
Organization-China joint mission says
that the virus-neutralising antibodies
from a patient who recovered from the
disease have the ability to fight it in a
patient still under treatment.
Head of clinical services at Manipal
Hospital Goa and renowned oncologist
Dr Shekhar Salkar recently requested
COVID-recovered patients to donate
their plasma. VIVA GOA talks to him
about this solution and how he feels
the situation is being handled.
How can COVID-recovered
patients, or COVID angels, help
with curing others?
Actually, COVID angels can help in
many ways. They can donate plasma
and help other COVID-positive
patients fight the battle against the
virus. They can work in a COVID
care centre as they have developed
antibodies while fighting the virus.
They can also create pubic awareness
on how to tackle the pandemic.
Renowned oncologist Dr SHEKHAR SALKAR
discusses whether one of the solutions to
fighting COVID-19 lies within the plasma of
those who have already recovered
What is plasma donation and who
can be a donor?
Plasma is a blood component rich
with antibodies in a patient who has
recovered from COVID-19. Any patient
who has recovered from the virus
by testing ‘RTPCR negative’ and has
developed sufficient antibodies
after 14 days of the infection can
donate plasma.
Where can COVID angels donate
their plasma?
They can donate at the Goa Medical
College blood bank.
Will plasma donation affect the
donor’s tendency to fight the virus
again considering studies about
reinfection are still unclear?
Certainly not, simply because
the donor could easily recover
within three weeks in the event of
a reinfection.
What is your take on Goa’s
handling of the pandemic?
COVID-19 is a completely new
disease and nobody has any idea
what is going to happen next. All
we can do is follow government
guidelines and help ourselves and the
government in this fight. In fact, the
Indian Medical Association (IMA) of
Goa has given its suggestions to the
government and I stand by them as
a member.
Read the full article in 'Viva Goa' magazine copy.
Viva Goa magazine is now on stands. Available at all major book stalls and supermarkets in Goa.
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