Four Thousand Members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus – Who Have Fully Recovered from COVID-19 – Donate Plasma for the Third Time Starting on the 16th

    BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, November 10, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Plasma donation drive planned for 3 weeks starting on the 16th until the 11th of next month at the Indoor Stadium of Daegu Athletics Center – 4,000 Shincheonji members plan to participate including the 1,700 who already participated in the two previous plasma donation drives Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Chairman Man Hee Lee, "Shincheonji") stated that it will conduct its third group plasma donation drive starting on the 16th of this month for 3 weeks. About 4,000 Shincheonji members are expected to participate in this plasma drive.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) made a request to Shincheonji Church of Jesus last month for their participation in plasma donation by stating, "It is necessary to quickly develop plasma treatment through group plasma donation, in the current absence of an effective treatment in the midst of the continuous occurrence of COVID-19 at home and abroad."

Shincheonji Church of Jesus had already conducted two group plasma donation drives last July and September. A total of 2,030 people participated in plasma donation so far for the purpose of developing plasma treatment, and about 1,700 among them are members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus. There are 312 people who participated at least twice.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters' Deputy Director Kwon Joon-wook said during the last regular briefing on the third, "For the purpose of developing plasma treatment, about 4,000 Shincheonji members plan to participate in plasma donation for three weeks, starting on the 16th. We are grateful for the active participation of Shincheonji, and for the cooperation of the City of Daegu and the Korean Red Cross."

The third group plasma donation will take place at the Indoor Stadium of Daegu Athletics Center, with volunteers in place to assure a smooth operation. Just like the first and second plasma donation drives, the participants will decline receiving the travel expense assistance of 20,000 to 30,000 won, to lessen the burden on the taxpayers' money.

A member of Shincheonji Church of Jesus said, "I was glad and grateful to hear on the news (CG Green Cross) that the plasma treatment is being used at the point-of-care situation. It's the most valuable thing we can do (as people who have recovered from COVID)." He added, "Through our experience of participating in plasma donation, all the members of our congregation have realized that the power to overcome COVID-19 is tolerance, love, and unity. We will put in our utmost effort so that South Korea to overcome COVID-19 through plasma treatment."

He also added, "I understand that many are concerned at the fact that the shutdown orders for church facilities have been lifted by regions. Please be assured that every Shincheonji church in South Korea plans to continue having services online until the COVID-19 situation becomes stable, whether or not the orders for facility shutdown and ban on gathering are lifted, to ensure our congregation members are protected and for the sake of health and safety of our communities."

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