Santa Maria man recovers from COVID-19, pays forward plasma donation

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - A Santa Maria man who has recovered from coronavirus donated his plasma Friday to help others beat the virus.

Luis Meza, a chef at the Hitching Post has been waiting for this day for a long time. He has finally tested negative for COVID-19.

After a person recovers from COVID-19, their body develops specific antibodies. If that person then donates plasma to someone with the virus, then their body can fight the virus with those antibodies.

Meza says that someone donated plasma to his wife, who also had COVID-19. He thinks it made a world of difference to her recovery and wants to pay it forward.

"You could help out some more people. That's why I'm doing it," said Meza. "The more people that donate, the more people that will get help."

One donation can help between three and five people. Vitalant blood donation center said they've had 37 donations on the Central Coast.

As for Meza, his wife Melissa tested negative from COVID-19 on Thursday after 40 days in the hospital. She is still in the hospital with pneumonia, and will need to go to physical and voice therapy.

Meza plans to continue donating plasma as much as he can, which means he'll be back in one week to donate again.

The FDA has issued emergency dispensation saying COVID-19 plasma donors can donate every seven days until June 13. Normally, plasma donors can donate once every 28 days.