President and Founder of United Hatzalah, Eli Beer, who recently made a full recovery from the coronavirus, donated plasma at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center on Sunday in order to help save the lives of patients who are listed as being in serious condition.
Beer recovered from the coronavirus back in April in Miami University Hospital, where he was sedated and put on a respirator for 30 days. After recovering enough to be able to travel, he returned to Israel where a test revealed that the level of antibodies in his system is particularly high.
“I was made aware that I could donate plasma and that this would help save the lives of others who are suffering from this terrible disease,” Beer said on Sunday. “I sincerely hope that whoever receives my plasma will have a full recovery just like I did, only easier. I wish all people suffering from this disease to have a full and speedy recovery.”
The Hadassah Medical Center has established a large operation in order to obtain plasma donations from recovered Corona patients. All of the patients need to have tested negative for having the virus and wait a number of weeks prior to their ability to donate plasma. Additionally, they must have a high antibody count according to serological testing.
In partnership with the Yad Avraham organization, volunteers were engaged to spread the word that those who have recovered from the virus have the potential to save the lives of others who are currently suffering from the virus. “Thus far the public has turned out in droves,” said Hadassah Medical Center Spokesperson Hadar Elboim.
CEO of Hadassah Medical Center Professor Zeev Rotstein praised Beer, saying, “I am very moved by this step that you have taken. As someone who experienced the disease in the strongest manner with all of its symptoms, you know how serious it is to make the effort and find every possible treatment for those who are in serious condition and suffering from this disease.”
The medical center transfers its plasma donations to a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in creating and developing medications in the hopes that they will build antibodies against the virus inside the blood of ill patients in serious conditions. Thus far, dozens of donations have been collected from recovered patients and the treatments look promising.