The local blood supply remains stable, but now there is a call for plasma, especially from those who have recovered from COVID-19.
"We can treat the symptoms of the illness, but we can’t treat the illness itself with any medicines that exist," said Dr. Mark Edmunds, medical director for the San Diego Blood Bank.
Edmunds said with a vaccine still far out, they are looking to collect blood plasma from those who have recovered from the virus.
"They’re now healthy, but their body will continue to make antibodies against that virus," Edmunds said.
The idea is that those antibodies might help someone else fight the virus.
"So this is really supplementing what the person’s own body is doing to give them a little more of an advantage," Edmunds said.
The idea is still experimental, but some research has shown it could help those with the virus, and hospitals want to try it.
"Hospitals are essentially asking for this product to be used as an investigational new drug for these patients," Edmunds said. "Right now it’s the sickest patients that the hospitals are requesting this treatment for."
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County health officials said Wednesday they are looking at creating a regional network to collect and track these antibodies.
"A very coordinated regional way of maximizing plasma donations and then coordination with the different blood banks," Dr. Nick Yphantides, the county's chief medical officer said. "To make sure that the patients for whom their physicians have indicated would benefit from it, will be able to have access to that (the antibodies)."
Locally the blood bank says it is working with Kaiser and Sharp HealthCare on this. Health officials estimate there are 200 county residents who have recovered from the virus.
The blood bank is expecting their first plasma donation from a COVID-19 survivor next week. To donate people must have had a confirmed positive coronavirus test and no symptoms for the last 28 days. Those who have gotten a negative test can donate after 14 days of no symptoms.
