Local Couple to Donate Blood to Help Coronavirus Sufferers

Pittsfield Detective Kim Bertelli-Hunt and her husband Pittsfield Officer Steve Hunt tested positive for the coronavirus back in March. They have both recovered and have both returned to work. It goes without saying that it's devastating when someone tests positive for the coronavirus but some good news has come out of the couple's experience.

In a phone call with Kim, she discussed how Albany Medical Center is in need of individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus to be donors for some testing that the institution is performing regarding recovery from the coronavirus. The testing consists of taking a blood from from a survivor of the coronavirus and extracting plasma from the individual's blood.

According to Albany Medical Center's educational website when fighting illness, the body produces antibodies—proteins that counteract a pathogen. Antibodies remain in plasma for weeks or months after recovery. The antibodies in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 attack the virus and can potentially be useful as a treatment for the virus.

Kim and Steve will be doing their part locally in terms of contributing to the testing as Steve is making a trip to the center on Thursday to make a donation. Kim will be making her donation soon as well.

You can get more details about the testing and what the requirements are to be a donor as well as contact information by going here.

(article image Steve Hunt and Kim Bertelli-Hunt)