Bryan Cranston donates plasma after revealing he has recovered from coronavirus: ‘Keep wearing the damn mask’

‘We can prevail — but ONLY if we follow the rules’, actor says

Bryan Cranston is urging his followers to wear face masks after revealing he contracted coronavirus despite “adhering to the protocols.”

On Thursday, the Breaking Bad star shared a video on Instagram, along with a statement in which he described himself as “one of the lucky ones” after beating the virus that has claimed so many lives around the world.

“Hi. About now you're probably feeling a little tied down, restricting your mobility and like me, you're tired of this!! Well, I just want to encourage you to have a little more patience,” Cranston wrote in the caption.

“I was pretty strict in adhering to the protocols and still...I contracted the virus. Yep. It sounds daunting now that over 150,000 Americans are dead because of it.”

Cranston continued: “I was one of the lucky ones. Mild symptoms. I count my blessings and urge you to keep wearing the damn mask, keep washing your hands, and stay socially distant. We can prevail — but ONLY if we follow the rules. Be well — Stay well.”

In the accompanying video, Cranston is seen standing outside of the UCLA Blood & Platelet Centre as he shared the process of donating his plasma, which contains Covid-19 antibodies that can help those still fighting off the virus.

The Trumbo star appeared in a surgical mask, where he showed a phlebotomist drawing blood from his right arm and harvesting the plasma, which he described as “liquid gold”.

“This will help people recover faster and be used in scientific research studies about this virus,” read a message in the video shown below the clip.

Cranston went on to share that he contracted coronavirus “quite early on” and his symptoms included a “slight headache” and a “tightness of chest.” He also said he “lost all taste and smell”.

Of the plasma donation, Cranston explained it takes an hour and that he was allowed to watch the movie A Face in the Crowd to pass the time.

Cranston concluded the video by informing fans how to donate plasma, and urging them to wash their hands, social distance, and wear a mask.

Earlier this week, American talk show host Andy Cohen expressed his disappointment over not being allowed to donate his plasma because he is gay.

In the US, guidelines published by the FDA stipulate that blood donations should be deferred for men who have “a history in the past three months of sex with another man”.

Speaking on talk show The View via video chat, Cohen explained that he had been aware that gay men were not allowed to donate blood.

“This has been something that has been going on for years,” the 52-year-old said.

“It was something that I took as fact in the early days of HIV in the ‘90s if I ever tried to give blood. The testing for HIV was far less sophisticated and accurate and fast as it is now.”

More than two decades on, Cohen said he felt “surprised” and “hurt” when he was barred from donating his plasma, despite being informed he had potent levels Covid-19 antibodies.