Health min asks Red Cross to encourage Covid survivors to donate blood for plasma therapy

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has asked Indian Red Cross to motivate recovered patients to donate blood so as to help other patients recover from the virus. The convalescent plasma, as mentioned by ICMR, will be helpful in treating COVID-19 patients.

READ: COVID-19: Union Health Ministry Asks Its Employees To Take Precautions At Work

Health Minister encourages blood donation

Speaking to ANI after a meeting with the members of the Red Cross, he said, "As mentioned by ICMR, the convalescent plasma will be really helpful in treating severe and serious COVID-19 patients. So, we asked the Indian Red Cross Society volunteers to motivate people who have already recovered from the COVID-19 disease to donate blood, so that their blood and plasma can be used to treat critical Coronavirus patients."

"We asked Red Cross to provide all possible facilities to the volunteer donors who want to donate their blood in this time of pandemic crisis. We also asked them to do counselling of the people who are suffering from COVID-19. I asked them to spread awareness among the people regarding coronavirus and also to inspire people to follow the guidelines of the nationwide lockdown," he added.

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Precautionary measures

On Sunday, the Health Ministry said advised all its employees to take precautionary measures at work from April 20 onwards in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The ministry directed that all its employees should cover their faces with a reusable mask while going to work and follow the guidelines of the state governments concerned on movement in containment zones.

READ: Health Ministry Issues Guidelines For Bringing Home Human Remains Of Coronavirus Patients

In an office memorandum, the Health Ministry said, "All the employees coming to office must use reusable face cover. Those employees who are residing in notified containment zones are required to follow the guidelines of the concerned state government regarding the movement in these containment zones and join office only when they are allowed to do so."

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