Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center to Begin Collecting Convalescent Plasma from Recovered COVID-19 Patients

MONTCLAIR, NJ [April 23, 2020] – Blood Donation Network, Vitalant and Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center are partnering to begin collecting plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to help those currently suffering from the coronavirus. People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma—known as convalescent plasma—that can attack the virus and be used as treatment for patients with life-threatening symptoms.

“It is our hope that convalescent plasma can be given to people with severe COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus,” explains hospital Chief Medical Officer Valerie Allusson, M.D. “Some case studies have described complete recovery of severely ill COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation.”

A small blood sample will be taken from recovered patients with the goal of finding those who developed the highest levels of targeted antibodies in response to the virus. Those that are eligible must be at least 18 years of age, have a prior verified diagnosis of COVID-19 and have been symptom free for at least 14 days.

Potential donors can fill out the form here to determine eligibility.

 

About Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside Medical Center

Mountainside Medical Center has been serving Montclair and its surrounding New Jersey communities since 1891. The hospital provides patients immediate access to innovative and effective treatment alternatives at specialized centers within the hospital that focus on imaging, women’s health, cancer care, surgery, obesity, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Mountainside Medical Center is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the NJ State Department of Health and Senior Services and is one of only a few community hospitals licensed by the State to perform emergency cardiac angioplasty. To learn more about Mountainside Medical Center visit www.mountainsidehosp.com.

 

About Vitalant

Founded in 1943, Vitalant, one of the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit community blood service providers, supplies comprehensive transfusion medicine services to nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states. We comprise a network of nearly a dozen community blood centers, each with its own rich history and legacy. Vitalant is an internationally known and respected leader that continues to push the boundaries to advance the experience, practice and application of transfusion medicine. To learn more about the Society for Simulation in Healthcare visit www.vitalant.org

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