MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. The method of blood plasma transfusion from donors with immunity to those COVID-19 patients who are in critical condition remains the best solution as long as a vaccine remains unavailable, but its effectiveness is still to be proven, the director of the research clinical center of precision and regenerative medicine at the Kazan Federal University, Albert Rizvanov, has said. Rizvanov’s group is conducting research into a test system and vaccine against the novel coronavirus.The transfusion of donor blood plasma with antibodies to the novel coronavirus infection (COVREC – plasma from recovered COVID patients) as a means of treatment in a situation when no vaccine has been made yet is being used widely in other countries – the United States, Germany and China. Ex-patients in Moscow who have recovered from COVID-19 are invited to donate blood plasma. A group of 130 such volunteers have already donated blood and more than 200 potential donors are waiting for the results of checks.”It is already clear that such treatment is safe for patients, but its effectiveness has not been confirmed yet. It is not a panacea and guarantee of recovery. In some cases patients who had undergone blood plasma transfusion eventually died. At the same time in a situation where there are no specific methods of treatment of the coronavirus infection that are targeted against this virus in particular, and not just help the human body cope with the infection, this method is certainly justified. The key word is this is the best method at a time when there is no vaccine,” Rizvanov said.He explained that the method of blood plasma transfusion from immune donors has existed for quite a long time, but its use against different infections may have controversial results. “The effectiveness of this method may vary greatly from high to harm to health.” For this reason fundamental scientific and clinical research will be required, he believes.”In the light of this the US regulator FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has issued permission to use this method only for those in critical condition. Russia has followed the same path,” Rizvanov said, adding that the Health Ministry of the Republic of Tatarstan was creating a bank of COVREC donor blood plasma. The first samples of plasma are being tested for the presence of anti-bodies to the coronavirus.According to the latest statistics, over 3,000,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 211,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 923,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.To date, a total of 93,558 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 8,456 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 867 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.
