OKC Man, Recovered Coronavirus Patient Donates Plasma To Help Critically Ill Patients

Brad Thomas, of Oklahoma City, had a fever for nine days and was severely fatigued by COVID-19. He was never hospitalized, but is now helping coronavirus patients not as fortunate as him.

Thursday, April 23rd 2020, 11:54 am

By: Karl Torp


Brad Thomas, of Oklahoma City, had a fever for nine days and was severely fatigued by COVID-19.

“It was like a really bad flu,” Thomas said.

He got his positive test results in late March.

He was never hospitalized, but is now helping COVID-19 patients not as fortunate as him.

“It seemed like the right thing to do,” Thomas said.

Last week, he got the results of a blood test showing he has coronavirus antibodies.

The plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 is now being injected into severely sick patients.

It is an experimental procedure, but the treatment has been positive for some Oklahoma patients.

On Wednesday, Thomas donated plasma at the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

“(it) took 45 minutes to draw the plasma out. I sat and read emails, caught up on news,” Thomas said.

He was in and out in about 90 minutes.

The Oklahoma Blood Institute said around 40 people who have recovered from COVID-19 have donated plasma so far.

The first step is registering to see if you are a candidate for plasma donation. More than 250 people are now on registry.

OBI will schedule an appointment if you are candidate.

“The people at OBI indicated that the plasma was in very high demand right now,” Thomas said.

OBI told News 9 Thomas's plasma was likely turned in 24 hours.

It’s then combined with other plasma sent off to hospitals.

So far, 21 hospitals have requested plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19.

Click here to register

Karl Torp

Karl Torp anchors our weekend evening newscasts. He couldn't be more excited to call the "Sooner State" home.

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