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WATCH: Heartwarming video shows moment East Tennessee patient discharged from hospital

Patient Tonya Jones is Blount Memorial Hospital's first COVID-19 patient to receive convalescent plasma as part of her treatment.

BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — It was cheers and applause from medical staff at Blount Memorial Hospital on Saturday, as one of hospital's COVID-19 patients was sent home. 

Patient Tonya Jones is the hospital's first COVID-19 patient to receive convalescent plasma as part of her treatment. She started the treatment on May 8. 

The hospital said Jones remained in the intensive care unit for five days, but just four days after receiving the plasma, she was able to return to a more-standard patient room.

That plasma comes from the blood of someone who's already recovered from the virus, and has antibodies to help the body fight it. 

There not yet any medications or vaccines approved to fight coronavirus. 

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