A blood plasma donor from Eagle County might have helped save a Denver doctor\u2019s life. <\/p>\n
Dr. Christopher Ciarallo works with Denver Health on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight, treating patients on every shift, and the shifts these days are long. He has seen enough COVID-19 symptoms to know when he has them, and he had them: cough, sore throat, fever \u2026<\/p>\n
His test at Denver Health confirmed what he already knew. He
\nhad it.<\/p>\n
He sent himself home to self-quarantine for seven days but just got sicker. His wife, who\u2019s also a doctor, took him to the\u00a0University\u00a0of Colorado Anschutz\u00a0Medical Campus.<\/p>\n
He did not improve, and while it\u2019s not official medical terminology to say that he could do nothing except lay in bed tucked into the fetal position and make wounded animal noises, it is accurate.<\/p>\n
Ciarallo demanded convalescent plasma but was told it\u2019s for critically ill patients on ventilators in ICU.<\/p>\n
\u201cConvalescent plasma has not been used this early in the course of the disease, and perhaps it should be,\u201d said Dr. Nadine Lober, a convalescent plasma donor who helped organized Vitalant\u2019s mobile plasma drive in Vail<\/a>.<\/p>\n With the help of his colleagues and connections, 12 hours It turns out that Vitalant hosted one of the nation\u2019s first Two hours after he received it, Ciarallo could get out of He says he\u2019s not 100% yet, but he\u2019s recovering at home with \u201cIt saved my life,\u201d Ciarallo said. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful to Dr. Lober and Dr. Alma Juels for starting this plasma drive with the wonderful Vail Valley residents who have donated, and those who will.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitalant launched its mobile convalescent plasma drive in Vail last week. The mobile lab will be in Vail the next two Tuesdays and Thursdays.<\/p>\n Like any startup, the registration for plasma donors in Vail\u2019s mobile lab has seen some glitches \u2014 scheduling delays and other frustrations. No one was more frustrated than Lober and Dr. Samantha Mack, director of Vitalant\u2019s western states region.<\/p>\n They think they have the wrinkles ironed out, Lober said.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease remember that this is all new territory and we have The criteria has remained the same:<\/p>\n If you meet the criteria, email Dr. Mack at smack@vitalant.org<\/a> or Dr. Lober at covid19vail@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll send you a blood donor eligibility form. Fill that out, attach a copy of your test results and send it back.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll connect you with a Denver-based scheduling center Lober says she\u2019s aware of two Vail Valley places to get FDA-approved Mack said there are many antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2, but only a few are FDA approved. Antibody results performed from testing platforms without this status are evaluated on a case-by-case basis for convalescent plasma qualification, Mack said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just want to make sure to the best of our ability that If you\u2019ve recovered from COVID-19 you have probably When you donate, your plasma is separated from your red blood Each time your donate plasma, it can help three or more Mack said it\u2019s still \u201cinvestigational,\u201d but Ciarallo says he’s convinced.<\/p>\n
\nlater Ciarallo had permission and his plasma.<\/p>\n
\nmobile convalescent plasma drives in Vail the day before.<\/p>\n
\nbed, his fever broke and he could walk around. He left the hospital the next
\nday.<\/p>\n
\nhis family.<\/p>\nIf you want to help<\/h3>\n
\nnow made it easier,\u201d Lober said.<\/p>\n\n
\nthat will quickly schedule you for an appointment.<\/p>\nTwo places to test locally<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nantibody tests: Doctors on Call in Avon and Colorado Mountain Medical. Both
\nwill send your blood samples to an FDA-approved lab.<\/p>\n
\nthe product getting transfused to these ill patients actually has the antibodies
\nin it,\u201d Mack said.<\/p>\nHow it works<\/h3>\n
\ndeveloped antibodies that help fight off the virus. Those antibodies might help
\nother virus victims recover if they get some of your blood plasma.<\/p>\n
\ncells are returned to you, you can donate plasma again in seven days, Lober
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\npatients in ICU.<\/p>\n