DOH: COVID-19 cannot be transmitted by blood transfusion

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cannot be transmitted by blood transfusion, Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said Monday. 

Vergeire made the clarification after Senator Sonny Angara—who initially recovered from COVID-19—tested positive for COVID-19 again.

Angara was about to donate blood plasma for the second time when his doctors made him take another swab test following the result of an initial antibody test. The said swab test turned out that he was positive again for COVID-19.

The blood plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are being used as part of the treatment for COVID-19 patients.

“Kailangan po natin tandaan na ang main transmission ng COVID-19 ay through the respiratory system. Naipapasa po ang virus sa isang tao sa pamamagitan ng droplets na nangyayari kapag in-close contact,” Vergeire said in an interview over GMA News' Unang Balita. 

“Wala pong any evidence or publication na nagsasabi na puwede makahawa sa pamamagitan ng blood transfusion,” Vergeire added.

She earlier said the virus may still be apparent in the body of the recovered patients, including Angara, but it does not mean that he is still infectious. 

As this developed, Vergeire said that the Department of Health does not have a recommendation yet on whether the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region and high-risk areas should be downscaled to general community quarantine (GCQ) after May 15. 

The stark difference between ECQ and the GCQ is that the GCQ allows mass transport, albeit on a limited number of passengers and still not including jeepneys where physical distancing is not feasible. 

“Hindi ko pa masagot kasi nasa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) po ang kapangyarihan tungkol rito. Pero gusto ko lang po sabihin na ang magiging basehan po ay ang [COVID-19] case doubling time, at ang critical care utilization rate ng ating hospitals,” Vergeire pointed out. 

“Kaya po natin in-extend to May 15 kasi nakikita po natin na puno pa rin po ang ating mga ospital, ang mga intensive care units, iyong mga ventilators gamit na gamit pa rin,” Vergeire added.

The Philippines has registered 9,223 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday. Of this number, 1,214 have recovered while 607 died. —Llanesca T. Panti/KG, GMA News