The call to persons, who had recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma for treating the virus-infected patients, has evoked a lukewarm response in Thanjavur district.
According to an official release, as on Friday, 7,026 persons had tested positive for COVID-19 and among them 5,918 were cured of the virus infection and discharged from the hospital where they were admitted. However, only less than one percent of them have shown interest to donate plasma for treating other patients admitted into hospitals. Only five persons have donated plasma so far.
Meanwhile, two persons aged 57 and 58 whose health condition turned critical due to COVID-19 virus infection recovered after undergoing the plasma treatment. Both of them were discharged from Thanjavur Medical College hospital on Friday with greetings from Collector M. Govinda Rao, and Dean Maruthudurai.
Talking to reporters after seeing off the recovered patients, the Collector said taluk-level flying squads had been formed to ensure that people adhere to the Standard Operating Procedure to curb the spread of the infection.
Stating that more than 900 pulse oximeters and thermal scanners had been distributed to the health department staff at the field level to check oxygen level and body temperature of the people across the district, Mr. Govinda Rao urged people not to move out of home unless otherwise necessary.
About 4,300 fever camps had been conducted in several parts of the district and nearly 2.03 lakh people utilised the health service. Only those with confirmed virus infection were admitted to COVID-19 special wards functioning in hospitals and others were asked to stay at COVID-19 care centres, he said.