DADE COUNTY DENTIST DONATES COVALESCENT PLASMA

In our continuing coverage of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Sarina Fazan interviews Jean-Paul Chavez, a dentist in Dade County who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March and is now a convalescent plasma donor. Doctors say the antibodies in the plasma from a recovered patent like Jean-Paul can help fight the disease in a patient who is currently infected.

Jean-Paul says, “After I survived the, the virus, I found that, I heard that the plasma was, it could be used to help other patients.”

He learned about the process after watching Miami Mayor Francis Suarez donate with OneBlood as Florida’s first COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor. The mayor’s message to encourage others who have recovered from the virus to step up and donate, resonated with Jean-Paul.

Jean-Paul explains, “Once I saw that I could potentially help, I put it out there. I wrote on Twitter that I'm available to help any patient that has a need and I'm available to donate blood or plasma to anyone that needs it.”

He was connected with the team at OneBlood, and now his resolve is stronger than ever and not just for the patients he could potentially help. Jean-Paul hopes that his actions and his message, like the mayor’s, will also inspire others.