IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN HAS
JOINED A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO
HELP PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED WITH
CORONAVIRUS.
AS "HERE AND NOW" REPORTER
MARISA WOJCIK SHOWS YOU, THEY
ARE TAKING PLASMA FROM A MADISON
PATIENT WHO HAS RECOVERED TO
BENEFIT PEOPLE STILL SERIOUSLY
ILL WITH THE DISEASE.
>> I STARTED HEARING ABOUT IT
AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE COOL
IF WE COULD TURN THIS INTO A
POSITIVE.
>> THE PLASMA IN HIS BLOOD
CONTAINED SOMETHING SPECIAL.
>> THE INDIVIDUAL THAT YOU TAKE
IT FROM, THAT PERSON HAS ALREADY
FOUGHT OFF THE VIRUS, SO THEY
HAVE AN EFFECTIVE ANTIBODY IN
THEIR SYSTEM.
>> DR. WILLIAM HARTMAN IS THE
LEADING INVESTIGATOR TO BRING
THE PLASMA OF RECOVERED COVID-19
PATIENTS TO THOSE WHO ARE
CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM THE
DISEASE.
>> SO THIS IS A TECHNIQUE THAT
ACTUALLY DATES BACK OVER 100
YEARS.
IT WAS USED TO TREAT DIPHTHERIA,
SPANISH FLU.
IT'S BEEN USED IN OTHER
CORONAVIRUSES, LIKE MERS AND
SARS.
>> GARY DONATED HIS PLASMA LAST
WEEK.
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS GIVING
THE PATIENT AN IMMUNE BOOST.
>> STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF HIS
IMMUNE BOOST WITHIN OTHERS WILL
HELP THE MEDICAL WORLD
UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL OF THIS
TREATMENT.
>> CAN WE PREVENT PATIENTS FROM
GOING ON TO VENTILATORS?
CAN WE PREVENT THEM FROM GOING
INTO THE ICU?
>> THE PROJECT HAS GROWN TO 800
HOSPITALS NATIONWIDE.
>> THIS, BECAUSE IT'S A
MEANINGFUL STUDY, I THINK REALLY
WILL ALLOW US TO COME TO A
CONCLUSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
IT'S EFFECTIVE AND SAFE AND THEN
WE CAN SPREAD WORLDWIDE TO TREAT
AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.
>> HUNDREDS MORE HAVE CALLED,
ASKING IF THEY QUALIFY TO DONATE
PLASMA.
>> THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY
HAS BEEN SO TREMENDOUS AND
FORTHCOMING WITH THEIR DONATIONS
MEANS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PLASMA
AVAILABLE TO ANY PATIENT THAT
NEEDS IT.
>> THERE IS SO LITTLE THAT WE
REGULAR PEOPLE CAN DO.
>> WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE IN
THE HOUSE FOR FIVE WEEKS AND
WATCHING ALL THE HEROIC THINGS
THAT OTHERS ARE DOING OUT THERE
AND FEELING JUST TOTALLY
HELPLESS.
AND THIS WAS A CHANCE FOR US TO
DO SOMETHING.
>> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M
MARISA WOJCIK.