Red Cross in southern Arizona sees need for convalescent plasma donations

The Red Cross is currently experiencing what they call an emergency shortage of convalescent plasma.

THE CONVALESCENT PLASMADONATIONS MADE BY SOUTHERNARIZONANS HAVE GONE INTO OURLOCAL HOSPITALS TO HELP THOSEWHO ARE CRITICALLY ILL WITHCOVID-19.

(VO) ACCORDING TOTHE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THERED CROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONAMORE THAN 250 UNITS OFCONVALESCENT PLASMA HAVE BEENDONATED IN SOUTHERN ARIZONANATIONALLY THIS NUMBER IS(MUCH BIGGER AT 20- THOUSAND.THE PROCESS OF DONATING PLASMAIS SIMILAR TO DONATING BLOODOR PLATELETS THE ANTIBODIESIN THE PLASMA IS WHAT EXPERTSBELIEVE HELPS THOSE STRUGGLINGTO GET BETTER FROM COVID-19.NOW BECAUSE THE RED CROSSSERVICES 90 PERCENT OF THESTATES HOSPITALS - THESEPLASMA DONATIONS STAY RIGHTHERE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ASLONG AS THEY'RE NEEDED SOT5:07-5:16 - "WHEN SOMEONEDONATES HERE, ONCE THAT LOCALNEED IS MET THAT PRODUCT,WHETHER IT'S CONVALESCENTPLASMA, WHETHER ITS PLATELETSIS GONNA GO WHERE IT'S NEEDEDMOST." (CONT VO) THE RED CROSSSTARTED COLLECTINGCONVALESCENT PLASMA ABOUT TWOMONTHS AGO.

(LL TAG) RIGHT NOWOFFICIALS SAY THEY AREGIVING HOSPITALS MORE PLASMATHAN THEY ARE BRINGING INAND THAT INCLUDES HERE, INSOUTHERN ARIZONA.

IF YOU'VERECOVERED FROM COVID-19 ANDWOULD LIKE TO DONATE, THERE'SINFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE ONHOW TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.VERONICA ACOSTA KGUN NINE ONYOUR SIDERECORD HIGHS TO CLOSE OUT A