LOCAL

Recovered COVID patients give plasma to help others

Juan Carlo
VC Star
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at a Vitalant donation center in Ventura.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at a Vitalant donation center in Ventura.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, looks away as Veronica Cortez, donor care specialist for a Vitalant donation center in Ventura inserts a small needle to extract convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Smith, who contracted COVID-19 in March, is giving plasma used as an experimental treatment for others with the illness.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, looks away as Veronica Cortez, donor care specialist for a Vitalant donation center in Ventura inserts a small needle to extract convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Smith, who contracted COVID-19 in March, is giving plasma used as an experimental treatment for others with the illness.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma at a Vitalant donation center in Ventura Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. The plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients like Smith is used in an experimental treatment for others with the illness.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma at a Vitalant donation center in Ventura Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. The plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients like Smith is used in an experimental treatment for others with the illness.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, finishes donating convalescent plasma as Veronica Cortez, donor care specialist for Vitalant in Ventura, looks on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, finishes donating convalescent plasma as Veronica Cortez, donor care specialist for Vitalant in Ventura, looks on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, gets comfortable before donating convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at a Vitalant donation center in Ventura.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, gets comfortable before donating convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at a Vitalant donation center in Ventura.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at Vitalant in Ventura.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at Vitalant in Ventura.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, as Veronica Cortez, donor care specialist for Vitalant in Ventura, keeps her comfortable.
Lori Smith, 64, of Ventura, donates convalescent plasma Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, as Veronica Cortez, donor care specialist for Vitalant in Ventura, keeps her comfortable.
JUAN CARLO/THE STAR