Microsoft has come up with a new initiative that makes it easier for patients who have recovered from coronavirus COVID-19 to donate their plasma. The company has announced the launch of CoVIg-19 Plasma Bot, a self-screening tool that allows people to check whether they quality to donate their plasma.
Microsoft launching CoVIg-19 Plasma Bot
In association with its alliance partners, Microsoft has formed the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance to fight COVID-19 Immunoglobulin (Ig) therapy. In its recent blog post, the company wrote:
“We are now convinced that the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance has a real chance to save lives, at significant scale, and possibly much sooner than other approaches currently being developed.”
Microsoft is kicking off the first phase of the initiative by putting its computing infrastructure and engineering resources to some good use and help individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 to sign up to donate plasma at licensed plasma collection centers across the U.S.
Previously, Microsoft launched the CDC Coronavirus Self-Checker bot and more than 1,300 other COVID-19 bots around the world. The company claims to have followed a similar procedure to help people determine the eligibility criteria to donate their plasma.
When someone is infected with the coronavirus COVID-19, their immune system learns to fight off the disease to help get recovered with the help of naturally produced antibodies. Even after the person recovers from COVID-19, these antibodies remain present in convalescent plasma, which can be used as a treatment for others.
The Plasma Bot and the home page and donor recruitment site will be accessible at covig-19plasmaalliance.org.
“We expect to make the bot available through other web, social and search channels as well to maximize awareness for potential plasma donors.”
Microsoft believes the plasma donation process should be fairly convenient since more than 50 percent of the eligible donor population in the U.S. lives within 15 miles of one of the 500 centers operated by CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance partners.
Soon after recovered COVID-19 patients donate convalescent plasma, the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance will start manufacturing a potential therapy and commence clinical trials to protect high-risk individuals from the virus.
The program will go live starting with the U.S and eventually expand to Europe.
