Another 'Cure' Not Looking Too Hot?

A lot of hope has been invested in the possibility of using 'convalescent plasma' to treat people with severe Covid-19 infections. 'Convalescent plasma' is the antibody-containing blood minus the cells (that could cause reactions) of people who have recovered from an infection with Covid-19. A study, published in the British Medical Journal, was carried out in India on more than 460 adults with 'moderate' infections ( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/23/covid-19-blood-plasma-therapy-has-limited-effect-study-finds) A half of the cohort received two transfusions of 'convalescent plasma' whereas the 'controls' only received the same care (it would have been more accurate to give them two transfusions of plasma from people who had not had a Covid-19 infection). The transfusions, in this study, did not appear to reduce deaths or halt the progression of the disease to 'severe'. There was a suggestion (although it is difficult to work out whether this is, in any sense, more than an impression) that the plasma treatment helped respiration and reduced feelings of fatigue. The study does not, however, suggest that treatment with antibodies is a 'game changer'.