Nick Saban Received IV Plasma COVID Treatment, Recommends ‘Anyone Who Can Get It’

Nick Saban on Thursday night revealed he received intravenous plasma treatment last week shortly after learning he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Saban, who was cleared to return from a 10-day isolation period and coached at LSU on Saturday, said the treatment improved the minor symptoms he was experiencing.

“I had one of those IV transactions Wednesday morning of last week a week ago,” he said, speaking via video conference on his weekly radio show Thursday night. “Plasma treatment, whatever its name. And it really worked wonders.

“I woke up the next day and really only had mild symptoms of a head cold, maybe a little cough, so I felt like I had a cold. But that’s about all. I didn’t feel bad. I didn’t have a fever, but whatever was in that plasma deal, it spilled it all in one day. So as of Thursday I was feeling great and 100% and would definitely recommend this treatment to anyone who can get it.

The FDA issued an emergency use authorization in August that allows the use of convalescent plasma to treat hospital patients with COVID-19. The process involves injecting plasma extracted from the blood of people who have recovered from the virus.

Although its use is now widespread in Alabama hospitals, the authorization remains controversial.

“Adequate and well-controlled randomized trials are still needed for a definitive demonstration of the efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma and to determine the optimal product attributes and appropriate patient populations for its use,” the FDA wrote in November.

Saban learned of his positive COVID-19 test on the morning of November 25 and began self-isolating at home. Speaking on a conference call with reporters later in the morning, Saban looked congested and said he had “a little runny nose” but none of the “cardinal signs” of COVID-19, including the absence of fever.

The 69-year-old coach sounded better on his weekly radio show last Thursday night and said, “I have a little head cold.”

Mike Rodak is an Alabama Beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on twitter @mikerodak.