Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 15) — Former Senator Heherson “Sonny” Alvarez is set to undergo experimental plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 using blood from a recovered patient.
Alvarez, now 80, has been identified to undergo this procedure being explored to beat the novel coronavirus, his daughter Xilca Alvarez-Protacio said in a statement.
The family of the former Senator and Isabela representative made a call for blood donors on Monday, saying that they will need a recovered patient with an A+ blood type to come forward and donate to the Philippine General Hospital. The donor must be below 65 years old.
Scientists are currently studying plasma treatments for the virus, which taps the antibodies developed by a recovered person to help a struggling patient combat the infection. The plasma, or the liquid portion of the blood, carries these antibodies, which will be infused into a patient’s system.
FAST FACTS: Donating blood plasma for COVID-19 patients
By Monday night, Alvarez’s daughter said a viable plasma has been identified for the ex-senator and Cabinet official.
In an April 6 statement, Alvarez-Protacio also said that her mother, theater laureate Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, has been taken out of intubation and can now “breathe comfortably” by herself.
The Department of Agrarian Reform announced on March 31 that Alvarez, who used to head the DAR, and his wife were in critical condition due to COVID-19.
There are 5,223 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country as of Tuesday afternoon, which led to 335 deaths and 295 recoveries. Senior citizens, especially those with existing health issues, are most vulnerable to the disease which mainly targets the lungs.
