San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow dropped a bombshell in July when he announced in his regular video address to residents that he had tested positive for COVID-19. 

And now he’s doing his part to help those currently battling the virus.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office shared a photo of Withrow – wearing an agency mask – donating convalescent plasma that can be used to help those struggling to fight off the virus. Just hours before the agency shared the photo online – which was shared dozens of times – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization to allow for the use of convalescent plasma to treat those that are sick with the virus.

By infusing those who are battling the virus with antibody-rich blood collected from those who have overcome their own infections, doctors hope to add a tool to the meager arsenal they have to treat to the new illness.

Withrow had been a vocal opponent of the California Judicial Council’s decision to mandate that low-risk offenders be released from county custody earlier this year as a way of preventing the spread of the virus in lockdown facilities like the San Joaquin County Jail. By thoroughly screening inmates as they arrived, Withrow argued, those that were in county custody were safer than in the community where transmission was spiking, and in turn by letting habitual offenders out where they would intermingle with the wider community before being brought back to the facility, the likelihood of an outbreak would actually increase inside of the jail.

That program has since been discontinued.

Because of the unique circumstances of life inside of the facility, the sheriff’s office has taken steps including purchasing fogging machines to help sterilize the inside of the jail to prevent an outbreak of the virus among inmates – something that they have to date been successful at preventing.

Withrow said in Jukly that he was feeling under the weather, so he went and got tested and awaited the results – largely getting over the virus before he knew that he was in fact positive. He’s the only high-ranking official in San Joaquin County – which remains on the State of California’s “highest tier of purple” because of the high percentage of positive results and the low number of available ICU beds – to confirm that they have contracted the virus.

For more information about where to donate convalescent plasma that may be used to help those battling the illness, visit the Red Cross’ donation website at https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.

San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow dropped a bombshell in July when he announced in his regular video address to residents that he had tested positive for COVID-19. 

And now he’s doing his part to help those currently battling the virus.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office shared a photo of Withrow – wearing an agency mask – donating convalescent plasma that can be used to help those struggling to fight off the virus. Just hours before the agency shared the photo online – which was shared dozens of times – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization to allow for the use of convalescent plasma to treat those that are sick with the virus.

By infusing those who are battling the virus with antibody-rich blood collected from those who have overcome their own infections, doctors hope to add a tool to the meager arsenal they have to treat to the new illness.

Withrow had been a vocal opponent of the California Judicial Council’s decision to mandate that low-risk offenders be released from county custody earlier this year as a way of preventing the spread of the virus in lockdown facilities like the San Joaquin County Jail. By thoroughly screening inmates as they arrived, Withrow argued, those that were in county custody were safer than in the community where transmission was spiking, and in turn by letting habitual offenders out where they would intermingle with the wider community before being brought back to the facility, the likelihood of an outbreak would actually increase inside of the jail.

That program has since been discontinued.

Because of the unique circumstances of life inside of the facility, the sheriff’s office has taken steps including purchasing fogging machines to help sterilize the inside of the jail to prevent an outbreak of the virus among inmates – something that they have to date been successful at preventing.

Withrow said in Jukly that he was feeling under the weather, so he went and got tested and awaited the results – largely getting over the virus before he knew that he was in fact positive. He’s the only high-ranking official in San Joaquin County – which remains on the State of California’s “highest tier of purple” because of the high percentage of positive results and the low number of available ICU beds – to confirm that they have contracted the virus.

For more information about where to donate convalescent plasma that may be used to help those battling the illness, visit the Red Cross’ donation website at https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.