Sean Payton Donates Plasma to Help Others With Coronavirus

As we all know, Saints head coach Sean Payton was infected with coronavirus back in March. He's since fully recovered and wants to help others.

On Monday, Payton donated plasma at the Blood Center in New Orleans in hopes of helping others affected with the virus.

"Until there's a vaccine for it, this allows us to do something we think can help," Payton told reporters yesterday while sitting in a donation chair. "Hopefully that plasma can help someone who's been affected maybe in a much more grave way."

Payton donated convalescent plasma, which is being accepted at many donation sites across the country from recovered patients.

There are antibodies in the blood of those who've recovered from coronavirus. And those antibodies are proteins that might help others fight the infection.

However, according to the Center for Disease Control's website, it's not yet known how much plasma will help, or if it helps at all.

There are certain criteria that must be met before patients can donate plasma. According to the CDC, patients must have had a prior diagnosis and be 28 days symptom-free. Payton was diagnosed with coronavirus back on March 19.

Payton said back in late March that he wanted to do something for those battling the virus, like give a blood transfusion or donate plasma. However, he was waiting to hear what the protocol was.