Nick Saban To Donate Blood Plasma After Recovering From COVID-19
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama coach Nick Saban announced on Wednesday evening that he would be donating his blood plasma after recovering from COVID-19.
"I had the blood treatment done," Saban said during his press conference. "And it was really helpful for me... If you can give your blood plasma, it may help other people that are affected by this disease."
The Crimson Tide coach missed the Iron Bowl earlier this season due to contracting the novel coronavirus. It was the second time he had tested positive this season after a false positive diagnosis during the week of the Georgia game back in October.
Saban recalled the process of which he had the treatment done while he was away from the team last month.
"I just did what the doctors told me," Saban said. "I went to the hospital and got the plasma treatment. It took, maybe 30 minutes to 45 minutes, and then you had to sit there for another hour or so to make sure you didn’t have any reactions. I did my tips and reminders that I always do when I was sitting in the hospital and didn’t really skip a beat. They had an excellent desk for me so I could work. I could tell you it worked wonders and it was very, very effective.
"I would recommend it, but I also think that I would recommend that we have a tremendous need for that from people who have had it who have antibodies that they could help other people."
In his bout with COVID-19, Saban experienced mild symptoms and on his radio show last week, he said that that treatment knocked them all out.
Now that Saban's blood plasma has the antibodies to fight off COVID-19, once he donates it, whoever receives it will be able to recover from or boost their immune system to stave off the virus.
"I think it’s important that people really understand how helpful this can be and I know if you’ve had this disease and you have immunity to it and you can give your blood plasma, it might help some other people who are being affected by this and I know we don’t have enough of it to go around," Saban said. "As soon as I'm eligible to be able to do that, I’m going to do it. I’m going to give my blood plasma so it really can help somebody else. So maybe they don’t have some of the issues and problems that create some really serious sickness and sometimes fatalities.
"You always can call the Red Cross and they can take care of you and you might be able to help some other people and I would encourage folks to do that."
