GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Spectrum Health is working with Versiti Blood Centers to start Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 patients.

According to Spectrum health, historically hospitals have used this treatment, known as "convalescent plasma therapy", to treat patients when a new disease rapidly spreads and no other treatments or vaccines are available.

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Spectrum Health has treated three patients with the therapy as of April 16.

To be considered as a donor, patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 must be symptom free for at least 14 days.

Then, they can be schedule for a second nasal swab to verify that they are free of the virus.

If potential donors have been symptom free for more than 27 days, a second nasal swab isn't need.

Once a possible donor is verified to be free of COVID-19, their plasma can be used to treat other patients.

Patients interested in donating plasma and had a positive COVID-19 test from Spectrum Health do not need to take any action, they will be contacted by the Spectrum Health research team to discuss eligibility.

Interested patients who had a positive COVID-19 test from a different health system should contract the Spectrum Health research department by emailing covid19research@spectrumhealth.org.

Researchers are currently working to see if it's possible for these individuals to donate.

Spectrum Health has partnered locally with Michigan State University to further this cause.

For more information about donating convalescent plasma, click on the Convalescent Plasma Donation tab on the Spectrum Health's Giving Opportunities page.

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