A PRESTWICK nurse who beat coronavirus has donated her blood plasma in a bid to help someone who is seriously ill with COVID-19 recover.

Alison Roberts, 38, jumped at the chance to save someone else, after she overcame the virus back in March.

The staff nurse with Occupation Health at NHS Ayrshire and Arran was tested for coronavirus after she had symptoms of a fever and fatigue.

She battled the virus for two weeks before being allowed back to work.

Alison told the Advertiser: “I got tested for COVID-19 just at the start of lockdown.

“I just had a bit of a fever. I wasn’t particularly unwell. I just felt flu like.

“I wasn’t too worried about it, but I was relieved that I never had any of the other symptoms that have made people seriously ill.

“I have no idea where I could have caught it from, everywhere was open as normal, it was just before the lockdown.

After recovering, the mum-of-two put herself forward to donate blood plasma which many contain antibodies that could help someone who is gravely ill because of COVID-19.

Alison, like many other key workers who have recovered from a confirmed case of coronavirus was invited to donate their blood plasma, known as Convalescent Plasma.

Recent scientific evidence has shown that transfusing patients with plasma from people who have recovered from the virus, could shorten the illness and make it less severe if given to patients in Intensive Care with severe lung disease.

Alison said: “I had seen somewhere that donating your blood plasma could potentially help a patient who is worse off.

“I knew I had tested positive for the virus and gotten better and there is no cure for coronavirus so I was more than happy to do it.”

There are two methods of donating Convalescent Plasma: through whole blood donation; and through plasma donation.

Alison, a regular blood donor , opted to have her plasma donated through a process called plasmapheresis, which involves a machine to separate the four elements of blood, remove the plasma then return the rest back to the donor.

She added: “I gave two units of plasma.

“It is so easy to do, I just went up to the Beatson in Glasgow and you just relax until it’s done.”

It has been confirmed that 36 people in Ayrshire have been in touch with SNBTS to donate convalescent plasma and seven of those are booked in to donate.

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and wishes to help is encouraged to call 0345 90 90 999

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