People like Reno resident, Lisa Sharpe, who have recovered from COVID-19 may now be able to help patients currently fighting the infection by donating their plasma. Sharpe was the fourth person in Washoe County, confirmed through testing, to have had the coronavirus. She has also been tested as COVID-19 free and is taking part in a new plasma study led by physician researchers from Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.
Those who have recovered from the infection may have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood that could have helped fight the infection. Convalescent plasma is being investigated for treatment of COVID-19 because there is no approved treatment for the disease and there is information that suggests it might help some patients.
This new study seeks to understand how the immune system responds to COVID-19 with the goal of developing a new treatment. Researchers will have those recovered COVID-19 donors return every three months to UNR Med, so they can also investigate any further side effects of the infection.
This community-wide study is a collaborative effort with Vitalant, county and state health districts, Saint Mary’s Medical Center, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Carson Tahoe Health and the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, along with the many care providers in our area.
Confirmed COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the virus and are interested in participating in the study are invited to contact the project coordinators at the Renown Research Office
at (775) 982-3646, or via e-mail at covidplasmascreening@renown.org.
