CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Organ transplants in the United States are starting to bounce back to pre-Covid-19 levels. That’s after a dip during the midst of the pandemic, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
Heather Butterfield with the Iowa Donor Network said it’s not uncommon to see ups and downs in organ and tissue donations. She said 2019 was a record year for organ donations in their program, but this year is different.
“So if someone has Covid-19 at the time of their passing, they aren’t able to be an organ or tissue donor and to date, we haven’t had any potential organ donors diagnosed with Covid-19. What exactly resulted in that decline, we aren’t exactly sure yet,” Butterfield said.
She said compared to this time last year, they are down seven organ donors.
“Could there be some indirect line related to Covid, possibly, I think we just don’t have enough information yet,” she said.
Despite the decline through the pandemic, Butterfield said those numbers are now looking up. She said tissue and organ donations are now back up. Butterfield said it’s thanks to elected procedures resuming, allowing for tissue donations.
“In April for example we only had 39 tissue donors and already in June we’ve had 50,” Butterfield said.
She said they are still down 80 tissue donors compared to last year. Butterfield said the best way people can help now, is to make sure they are registered as a donor.
“Organ donation in general is incredibly rare, a very small percentage of the population will pass away in a manner that allows for organ donation. Which is why there is such a gap between the need and the number of organs available,” she said.
Butterfield said over 111,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant. She said with or without Covid-19, their need doesn’t go away.
You can register to be an organ donor with the Iowa Donor Network by visiting here.
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June 23, 2020 at 05:02AM
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Iowa Donor Network sees decrease in months during pandemic - KCRG
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