In Upper Silesia, the blood plasma from convalescents (which is given to patients to neutralise SARS-Cov-2) is not missing at this point. However, the Regional Centre for Blood Donation and Blood Care in Katowice (RCKiK) does not spare calls for the donation of blood and its components, including plasma from convalescents, because the procedures take place on an ongoing basis and blood is still needed. There’s no shortage of interest. As part of the cooperation with the Polish Mining Group, the plasma will now be given by approx. 200 miners. On Monday, December 28th, a blood donation ambulance stood in front of the ‘Murcki-Staszic’ mine, and then ‘Mysłowice-Wesoła’ mine.
The talk with medical science dr. Stanisław Dyląg, Director of the Regional Centre for Blood Donation and Blood Care in Katowice, the largest blood service institution in the country, which supplies blood and its components to 140 hospitals and clinics in the Silesian region, and the Expeditionary Department releases between 200 and 250 litres of this valuable medicine daily to hospital blood banks.
Once vaccination against COVID-19 has been carried out, do calls for plasma donation by the convalescents remain valid?
Surgical procedures are performed every day and therefore blood (and its components, including convalescents’ plasma) is needed.
Are Upper Silesia’s residents more willing to share what they have most valuable than residents of other Polish regions?
RCKiK in Katowice cooperates with the Polish Mining Group. Now, the willingness to donate plasma has been declared by approx. 200 miners. The blood donation ambulance on Monday, December 28th, will be located in front of the ‘Murcki-Staszic’ mine, and then ‘Mysłowice-Wesoła’ mine. Due to the great interest in the issue of plasma donation, RCKiK also launched the helpline on Christmas Eve and will launch on New Year’s Eve. This is a big help. For the blood donors, the centre organizes a popular campaign ‘December full of gifts’ in the local branches of the RCKiK, e. g. in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Zabrze, Tychy, Cieszyn and Gliwice. In the branch in Cieszyn blood was also donated by members of the ‘Golec uOrkiestra’ band.
The miners, their families and residents are very keen to donate plasma and that is why we have a large supply of plasma from the convalescents, which fully protects all patients.
There are enough supplies. However, we invite all donors to donate blood and blood components (including plasma from the convalescents).
Let’s recall what role plasma plays in the treatment of coronavirus infections.
The antibodies given with the convalescent’s plasma to an infected patient are believed to neutralise the SARS-Cov-2 virus.