Today, more than ever before, millions of people are in dire need of blood worldwide due to COVID-19 crisis. Unexpectedly, countries that have achieved a national self-sufficiency in blood are right now calling for more blood donors in a view to maintaining adequate blood supply.
One way or the other, the existing lockdown rules amid battling the virus has caused havoc for regular blood donors all over the world.
But, various humanitarian organizations, heads of state, senior officials, renowned artists and physicians have been galvanizing the general public to donate blood and some have also been role models in donating blood during this difficult time.
These individuals, moreover, are vividly conveying a very important message to the whole world that maintaining social distancing does not mean social disengagement at all.
Furthermore, nations that are under total or partial lockdowns to contain the spread of coronavirus have also been sensitizing the public at large to blood donation in full swing.
Last week, Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed (PhD), Frist Lady Zinash Tayachew, Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice Party Leader Prof. Berhanu Nega and some public figures donated blood here in Addis Ababa.
Premier Abiy told local media on the occasion that keeping social distancing guidelines, all fellow citizens have to join the blood donation campaign as the nation is facing nationwide blood shortages coupled with the looming health crisis due to the coronavirus.
In a similar vein, Prof. Berhanu urged the general public not wait until disaster strikes and to donate blood now and often.
In related news, some reliable medical journals and mainstream media have recently reported that coronavirus hard – hit countries have been encouraging those fully recovered COVID-19 patients to donate blood in a bid to save the lives of seriously- ill patients due to the pandemic. Somehow the plasma of the formers is scientifically believed to bolster up the weak immune system of the latters.
These countries have also launched widespread antibody testing to know whether someone had been exposed to the virus earlier or not. Such testing is also helping health experts in detecting the level of developed immunity to fight the virus. However, so far there has not been evidence that recovered COVID-19 patients will not be re-infected.
Nevertheless, people who were exposed to deadly SARs – a species of coronavirus have developed immunity to this particular virus (SARs). The immunity, therefore, lasts for two or three years, as to some medics and scientific finding.
Also, World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against use of immunity passport or risk free certificate as it could spread the coronavirus. As to the organization, medical scientists have not known yet how strong are the antibodies of recovered COVID-19 patients and how long they last.
UK and Chile have announced to issue immunity passports in a bid to allow workers to be at workplace. The Czech Republic has started to lift up ban on travel aboard so long as the passengers show up certificate that testifies he/she is tested negative to COVID-19.
Whilst University of Oxford has disclosed that it could ready potential COVID-19 vaccine on September as it has already begun vaccine trials on humans. WHO has also launched global movement to solicit funds worth eight billion USD in order to accelerate the development and production of new vaccines, tests and treatments for COVID -19 and to assure equitable access worldwide.
The Ethiopian Herald April 28/2020
BY DANIEL BEYENE
