KOLKATA: The city police has crossed a milestone in its fight against coronavirus. On Sunday, the number of
plasma donors within the force surpassed the 100-mark. All the 101
donations made till Sunday were for common citizens treated across nine government and private hospitals in the city. The men in uniform have even formed a club to carry out donations seamlessly.
“Of the 101 donations, not even one was for over 3,300 cops who got infected with Covid-19 during the period,” said a senior officer from the welfare cell that acted as the nodal agency to facilitate the donations. “Maximum donations were carried out in the past two months. Till mid-October, we had donated 53 times. As many as 48 donations have been made in the last two months or so,” the officer added.
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It is through such practices in the middle of so much despondency that a force integrates itself with the rest of the community. The institutionalisation of this practice — of putting cops on the list of donors — has been a great idea.
Sources said these donations were mainly made through two different ways — someone from a patient’s family either directly reached out through social media with necessary documents or specific requests came from the administration of the various hospitals and the
plasma bank at medical college.
“Every cop who has recovered from
Covid — essentially below 40-45 years, willing to donate plasma, has no co-morbidities and has spent a minimum four weeks of isolation after recovery — is being tested and a ready pool is being prepared. We now have a pool who can continue donations for the next couple of days,” said a senior officer from the welfare cell.
But even the cops know their limits. “Not only has the donor to be completely fit at least 40 days ago for the antibody to grow, he has to be also without co-morbidity. The blood groups have to match. We are looking at young donors but our pool is fast drying up. Now, it will not be possible to help out everyone. While we are trying to help whenever someone is seeking help, it is time that the citizens come out as willing donors,” said an officer.
“We request all those who have recovered with plasma donated by one of us to help spread Covid awareness. We are happy to help out in every possible way,” said joint CP (headquarters) Subhankar Sinha Sarkar.