The NBA caught several positive cases of the coronavirus among its players early, and those players are recovering or have recovered already. Now, they may be able to provide significant help for medical researchers working to treat the virus.
The NBA’s “NBA Together” program is encouraging players and staff who have recovered from COVID-19 to consider donating plasma to a national program looking into potential treatments for the disease, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources: The NBA’s “NBA Together” program is supporting National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project of top specialists on plasma as potential treatment for coronavirus — and has asked for team individuals who have recovered to consider donating plasma.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 29, 2020
Why plasma? There is evidence that those who have recovered from COVID-19 are immune to reinfection, as the body creates antibodies to identify and fight the virus. Scientists are studying whether these antibodies can be used to create immunity in those who have not contracted the virus, as well as if it can help those already ill recover.
Several NBA players have already recovered from the virus, including the league’s first two cases. Perhaps they can help develop lifesaving treatments as the pandemic continues to unfold.
