Tanya Sam Opens Up About Donating Plasma to Help COVID-19 Patients

After testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies, Tanya Sam is donating plasma to help those who are currently sick with coronavirus. The Real Housewives of Atlanta friend opened up about the experience recently, urging others to donate if they can. 

“Giving COVID antibodies via plasma donation today. Since I found out I have COVID-19 antibodies, I’ve been donating my plasma to help aid those critically ill with COVID recover,” she explained in a September 28 Instagram post, in which she shared a video of herself during the procedure. “Although not a vaccine, the sharing of antibodies from plasma can help those who are ill, or goes to contribute to developing an immunoglobulin based treatment to also potentially treat the disease.” 

In another post, Tanya answered some questions she had received since sharing her donation with her followers. 

“I tested positive for antibodies for COVID-19 in May 2020, and I suspect I had COVID in December 2019 because I got sooo sick with what I thought as a horrible flu that kicked my butt for a full week and left me with a debilitating cough for over 6 weeks,” said Tanya. “I had just returned from a trip to San Francisco and that was the only time I have been sick, so it’s a guess and was fortunate to recover fully.” 

Tanya went on to explain the testing and donation process, noting that she gave “three units chock full of my COVID antibodies that should be able to help 1-3 patients depending on how sick they are.”

“I tested for COVID antibodies at my doctor’s office, who drew a blood specimen and sent to Labcorp. The prevalence and availability of COVID tests has dramatically increased. GET TESTED! Just do it,” she continued. “The process is not painful and takes about 2-3 hours. They encourage you to drink lots of water before.” 

Tanya also underlined the “desperate need” across the country for plasma donations, and urged her followers to wear a mask and give blood if they do not have cover antibodies. 

Any health-related information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, or before embarking on any diet, exercise, or wellness program.

For the latest, most accurate information on coronavirus, go to the World Health Organization (WHO) website.