NCC volunteers offer to fight corona menace

Survivors’ antibody-rich plasma helps patients recover fast

For the doctors treating critical patients of novel coronavrius (Covid-19), there may be some ray of hope as a group of scientists in China have claimed that condition of five critically ill Covid-19 patients improved substantially after being given antibody-rich plasma from five other patients who had recovered earlier.

In their research paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) these scientists said since

Covid-19 is a pandemic with no specific therapeutic agents and substantial mortality, it is critical to find new treatments.

“Five patients (age range 36-73 years; 2 women) were treated with convalescent serum. None were smokers, and 4 of 5 had no preexisting medical conditions. All 5 had received various antiviral agents and steroids. Convalescent plasma was administered between 10 and 22 days after admission…Administration of convalescent plasma containing neutralizing antibody was followed by improvement in the patients’ clinical status,” the paper said. It added their fever vanished and respiratory infection subsided.

“These preliminary findings raise the possibility that convalescent plasma transfusion may be helpful in the treatment, but this approach requires

National Cadet Corps (NCC) has offered its volunteer cadets for national duty to fight COVID-19 under “Exercise NCC Yogdan”.

It has issued guidelines for temporary employment of its cadets to augment relief efforts and functioning of various agencies involved in battling the pandemic.

The tasks envisaged for NCC cadets include, manning of helpline/call centres; distribution of relief materials, medicines, food, essential commodities, data management and queue and traffic management.

According to the guidelines, cadets should not be employed in handling of law and order situation or for active military duties or at hot spots.

“Only senior division volunteer cadets above 18 years of age will be employed. They should be employed in small cohesive groups of eight to 20 under the supervision of permanent instructor staff or/and an associate NCC officer,” said officials.

For employment of volunteer cadets, state governments /district administration has to send the requisition through state NCC directorates. Details will be coordinated at directorate/group headquarters/unit level with state government/local civil authority.

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