Photo By Staff Sgt. Terry Rajsombath | Maj. Sean Fitzpatrick, logistics officer for the 43rd Military Police Brigade, stands...... read more read more
“It was my first time donating blood- anything,” said Maj. Sean Fitzpatrick, logistics officer for the 43rd Military Police Brigade.
Fitzpatrick tested positive for the Coronavirus- twice- and has donated blood at the Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) after following proper procedures to self-quarantine.
“I actually ended up getting COVID with my wife,” said Fitzpatrick. “I was asymptomatic and had no symptoms, but she ended up getting a fever and some of the other symptoms, so she got tested.”
Fitzpatrick and his wife went to be tested for COVID-19 at the Community College of Rhode Island. Three days later, they were informed that they tested positive. After self-quarantining for several weeks, Fitzpatrick went back to work, serving under Joint Task Force (JTF) Guardian.
“As a whole, we at the JTF wanted to get tested,” said Fitzpatrick. “So, I actually got a test at URI (University of Rhode Island) and I came back positive again.”
After Fitzpatrick’s second duration of self-quarantine, he learned of a Rhode Islander who had recovered from COVID-19 and drove into New York City to donate convalescent plasma.
“Convalescent plasma (CP) is the liquid part of blood that is collected from individuals who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection,” said Nicole Pineault, the Director of Donor Resources, RIBC. “Antibodies present in CP are proteins that might help the recipient fight the infection.”
Fitzpatrick was inspired by the story of the individual donating CP and decided to donate blood at his local blood center.
“After testing positive for COVID-19, luckily my family and I didn’t end up in the hospital and on a ventilator,” said Fitzpatrick. “So, anything I can do to keep someone from getting to that point, I’d like to do.”
Should a person wish to donate CP, Rhode Island Blood Centers regularly accept CP donations if the donor meets basic criteria.
“The first step is for individuals who have fully recovered from COVID-19 is to fill out the form at ribc.org/cpdonor,” said Pineault. “Donors must have proof of having tested positive for COVID-19 and be symptom-free for 14 days. Donors who qualify will be booked to donate at one of RIBC’s six donor centers in Rhode Island.
One donation can be used to treat two to three patients struggling with severe cases of COVID-19, said Pineault.
| Date Taken: | 05.02.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2020 14:22 |
| Story ID: | 369873 |
| Location: | CRANSTON, RI, US |
| Web Views: | 89 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Rolling up your sleeves for COVID-19, by SSG Terry Rajsombath, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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