US Basketball Stars to Donate Blood for COVID-19 Treatment

At least four National Basketball Association players who have recovered from the coronavirus (COVID-19) are reportedly volunteering for an experimental treatment that could help patients overcome the disease.

Dubbed the “National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project”, this experimental therapy sees the use of antibodies in blood plasma donated from patients who have recovered from – and built up immunity against – the virus.

The plasma is then injected into infected patients, so that the antibodies can combat the virus in their new hosts’ bodies.

According to Dr Michel Joyner, these four basketball players – Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart being one of them, while the other three remain unidentified – are donating their blood for the project.

Dr Joyner explained: “These are big men with blood volumes, and as a result have a lot of plasma volume. Frequently people who are physically trained also have an increase in their plasma volume from what you would expect from them just being regular-sized guys.”

While a vaccine for COVID-19 may only be available months from now, this project is sure to provide welcome relief for both patients and medical staff.

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