BOISE, Idaho — St. Luke's Hospital in Boise is now part of a national plasma therapy study with the Mayo Clinic. The study is collecting data from hospitals across the country to see if plasma therapy works as a treatment for the novel coronavirus.
Plans are underway to reach out to patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to see if they are willing to be potential plasma donors.
"In people who have already had this disease and who have recovered successfully from this disease, our assumption is that they've made really good antibodies that targets the viral particles," said Kenny Bramwell, Chairman for Medical Technical Subcommittee of Incident Command.
Starting this weekend, screening and specimen collecting tents at the St. Luke's locations in Boise, Meridian, Twin Falls and Wood River will be closed over the weekend. Tests performed during the week at St. Luke's tents are offered free of charge.
Testing will be available at the following locations on weekends but may involve a fee. Patients should drive up to the clinic, call and staff will come outside to meet them:
- St. Luke’s Clinic urgent care locations in Eagle and on Parkcenter Blvd in Boise
- St. Luke’s Clinic – Capital City Family Medicine in Boise
- St. Luke’s Quick Care in Magic Valley
- St. Luke’s Clinic – Walk-in Care in Ketchum
- Primary Health locations in Meridian, Nampa, and Garden City (by appointment)
- Saltzer Medical Group urgent care locations in Nampa
