Shincheonji’s Plasma Donation Facilitates Development of the Vaccine for COVID-19

Shincheonji’s Plasma Donation Facilitates Development of the Vaccine for COVID-19

 

  Have you ever heard about Shincheonji Church of Jesus? Of course, on February, there was the wide spread of the novel coronavirus centering Shincheonji’s Daegu Church. But Shincheonji congregation only had lived their normal lives under the government’s policy.

 

  Anyway, the Chairman of Shincheonji Church, Manhee Lee, apologized the spread of COVID-19 to Korean citizens and then Shincheonji Church had thoroughly kept the quarantine policy of KCDC (Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

 

  Surprisingly, on August 27th, Shincheonji Church had a large voluntary service to facilitate development of the vaccine for COVID-19. Over 1,000 members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus participated in donating plasma.

 

  This is carried out under the invitation of the health authorities in South Korea back on 24th, asking Shincheonji Church to cooperate for donating additional plasma for the development of the vaccine.

 

  According to the report from the Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (KCDC), 562 recovered members from the church registered to donate plasma and 409 completed donation in July through the cooperation between KCDC and Shincheonji Church. Facing the need for “facilitation of developing a cure through plasma donation and clinical trial”, the KCDC asked another round of a large-scale donation by members of Shincheonji Church in August.

 

  The KCDC in its official document expressed appreciation to Shincheonji Church for “active participation in the collection of plasma as a group for the development of corona(virus) cure for the purpose of national health safety under the global crisis caused by the COVID-19.”

  “With the cooperation of Daegu city, Daegu Athletics Center plans to provide GC Pharma equipment and personnel (for the donation) from 27th August to 4th September. We express our gratitude to the city for providing a location for the group donations. We also express our gratitude to the congregation members of the religious organization, Shincheonji to be specific,” said Mr. Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the KCDC.

 

  Research and development of the convalescent plasma treatment is underway by National Institute of Health under the Ministry of Health and Welfare in cooperation with Green Cross (GC) Pharma, a biotechnology company in South Korea.

 

  As a religious leader, Chairman Manhee Lee of Shincheonji in July said, “This (plasma donation) is the work that needs to be done as citizens of this country and as true believers. It is keeping the command of Jesus of loving your neighbor as yourself (Mt 22:39 of the Bible).”