Firefighter With Coronavirus Seeking Plasma Donor

PALOS VERDES, CA — Firefighters are seeking the community's help to save one of their own. A Torrance fire engineer who has coronavirus is looking for a plasma donor to help him fight the virus, Palos Verdes city officials announced this week.

South Bay cities are asking the public's help to find a plasma donor who has specifically recovered from COVID-19 to help the fire official. The FDA and American Red Cross are looking for people who have recovered from the virus for urgent donations.

Blood donations are decreased across the U.S. as states implement stay-home orders and social distancing measures, according to the FDA.

"A Torrance Fire Engineer is in need of a plasma donation to help him fight his COVID illness. Specifically, he needs plasma donated from a fully recovered COVID patient so their antibodies may help boost his ability to fight back," according to a news release from the city of Palos Verdes.

There are several requirements to donate plasma. To qualify, you must have the following:

• Have had COVID as confirmed by a positive test.

• Already be recovered and have one of the following:

  • your symptoms resolved at least 28 days prior to donation OR

  • our symptoms resolved 14 days prior to donation AND a repeat COVID test is negative

• Be one of the following:

  • Male donor

  • Female donor who has never been pregnant

  • Female donor who has been tested since their most recent pregnancy and results interpreted as negative for HLA antibodies.

If you or someone you know might fit the criteria, please contact Dr. Marc Coehn at emsdoc911@hotmail.com or contact the American Red Cross.

"Time is of the essence. Even if you aren’t a match, you could be for another patient who needs this therapy," the city said.

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This article originally appeared on the Palos Verdes Patch