The global pandemic has inspired a broad new coalition, including COVID-19 survivors, with one simple message: If you’ve recovered from the virus, donate your precious plasma.
“The Fight Is In Us” campaign launched this week with an urgent mission to reach thousands of recovered COVID-19 patients. Their blood plasma contains antibodies that can be used in direct transfusions and in the development of a potential treatment called a “hyperimmune” immunoglobulin. “The Fight” campaign, to begin in the U.S., will run for four weeks and include public service announcements from celebrities. Who will they be? That news is coming soon.
NBC sportscaster Mike Tirico announced the new campaign last weekend during a May 24 special about the Indianapolis 500 car race. On the broadcast, the “singing surgeons” of Mayo Clinic performed “God Bless America.”
“The Fight Is In Us” also was featured in The Wall Street Journal this week.
A key supporter of the campaign is Survivor Corps, founded by Diana Berrent.
“Inside COVID-19 survivors is the antibody-rich blood plasma that may help stem the tide of this pandemic,” she said. “This is the time for superhero volunteers to donate their blood plasma and stop COVID-19 in its tracks.”
The race is on to donate plasma because it’s best to collect it from survivors within two months of recovery. Also, researchers want to seize the moment before the fall, when flu season will begin in the United States and the rest of the northern hemisphere.
CSL Behring had already joined with the world’s leading plasma companies to create the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance. The “Fight Is In Us” campaign extends that coalition outward to include:
- medical and research institutions, such as Mayo Clinic
- ·national blood center organizations
- health benefits company Anthem Inc.
- health diagnostics company LabCorp
- SurvivorCorps.com
- StoptheSpread.org
- XPRIZE.org
