This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/nyregion/coronavirus-antibodies-nj-doctor.html

The article has changed 29 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 14 Version 15
He Beat Coronavirus. Now His Blood May Help Save Lives. He Beat Coronavirus. Now His Blood May Help Save Lives.
(1 day later)
In mid-March, Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey announced the first coronavirus-linked death in the Northeast. Since then, there have been more than 16,000 virus-related deaths in the United States, and the toll grows by the hour.In mid-March, Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey announced the first coronavirus-linked death in the Northeast. Since then, there have been more than 16,000 virus-related deaths in the United States, and the toll grows by the hour.
But the health care network that runs the Hackensack hospital now has its eye on reaching another, more hopeful, milestone: finding a treatment for the disease caused by the virus.But the health care network that runs the Hackensack hospital now has its eye on reaching another, more hopeful, milestone: finding a treatment for the disease caused by the virus.
As part of a newly approved federal trial, researchers at the network, Hackensack Meridian Health, are preparing to infuse patients fighting for life with antibody-rich blood plasma donated Wednesday by a neonatal doctor who was infected with the virus and recovered.As part of a newly approved federal trial, researchers at the network, Hackensack Meridian Health, are preparing to infuse patients fighting for life with antibody-rich blood plasma donated Wednesday by a neonatal doctor who was infected with the virus and recovered.
The hope is that the plasma will boost patients’ immune systems and help them combat the virus before their lungs are destroyed.The hope is that the plasma will boost patients’ immune systems and help them combat the virus before their lungs are destroyed.
“The idea would be to try to prevent them from getting worse,” said Dr. Michele Donato, the chief of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy at John Theurer Cancer Center, part of Hackensack University Medical Center.“The idea would be to try to prevent them from getting worse,” said Dr. Michele Donato, the chief of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy at John Theurer Cancer Center, part of Hackensack University Medical Center.
The first infusion of plasma, from blood donated by the doctor, Benjamin C. Planer, was scheduled to start by Saturday, Dr. Donato said.The first infusion of plasma, from blood donated by the doctor, Benjamin C. Planer, was scheduled to start by Saturday, Dr. Donato said.
Hackensack’s study is expected to expand as more volunteers who have been infected with the virus meet a crucial threshold: Candidates must be healthy for at least 14 days and free of all traces of the virus. Of more than 3,000 people who have offered to be donors, only 38 have met the initial screening criteria.Hackensack’s study is expected to expand as more volunteers who have been infected with the virus meet a crucial threshold: Candidates must be healthy for at least 14 days and free of all traces of the virus. Of more than 3,000 people who have offered to be donors, only 38 have met the initial screening criteria.
A donor’s blood must also have high levels of antibodies, proteins made by the immune system to attack the virus.A donor’s blood must also have high levels of antibodies, proteins made by the immune system to attack the virus.
Similar efforts are underway at other hospitals, including Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, the Mayo Clinic and Houston Methodist Hospital, according to Dr. Nigel Paneth, a professor of medicine at Michigan State University and a leader of the National Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma Project.Similar efforts are underway at other hospitals, including Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, the Mayo Clinic and Houston Methodist Hospital, according to Dr. Nigel Paneth, a professor of medicine at Michigan State University and a leader of the National Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma Project.
The experimental efforts began after the Food and Drug Administration opened the door to emergency treatment late last month.The experimental efforts began after the Food and Drug Administration opened the door to emergency treatment late last month.
The antibody-rich blood product, known as convalescent plasma, has not yet been proven to help those sick with Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. “But this is one of the only treatments that we have at present,” the Mayo Clinic notes on its website.The antibody-rich blood product, known as convalescent plasma, has not yet been proven to help those sick with Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. “But this is one of the only treatments that we have at present,” the Mayo Clinic notes on its website.
At Hackensack, Dr. Planer, 58, has become known as the “superdonor.”At Hackensack, Dr. Planer, 58, has become known as the “superdonor.”
He and his family live in Teaneck, N.J., the hardest-hit town in the state’s hardest-hit county amid the outbreak. He, his wife and their 17-year-old son contracted the virus, and they all recovered after several days of experiencing relatively minor symptoms.He and his family live in Teaneck, N.J., the hardest-hit town in the state’s hardest-hit county amid the outbreak. He, his wife and their 17-year-old son contracted the virus, and they all recovered after several days of experiencing relatively minor symptoms.
When his hospital asked for volunteers for a study of an emerging Covid-19 therapy, Dr. Planer was among the first to sign up. His blood carries an especially valuable quantity of antibodies, Dr. Donato said.When his hospital asked for volunteers for a study of an emerging Covid-19 therapy, Dr. Planer was among the first to sign up. His blood carries an especially valuable quantity of antibodies, Dr. Donato said.
“My body obviously had it,” Dr. Planer said in an interview. “My body responded. My immunity worked. And I hear that I made a lot of antibodies. I was very happy to hear that — and very happy to share.”“My body obviously had it,” Dr. Planer said in an interview. “My body responded. My immunity worked. And I hear that I made a lot of antibodies. I was very happy to hear that — and very happy to share.”
After preliminary screening showed that he was a strong candidate, he called his rabbi: He wanted permission, if needed, to donate blood during Passover, which began at sundown Wednesday.After preliminary screening showed that he was a strong candidate, he called his rabbi: He wanted permission, if needed, to donate blood during Passover, which began at sundown Wednesday.
In the end, it was not necessary. His blood was taken in a process that took about an hour.In the end, it was not necessary. His blood was taken in a process that took about an hour.
The blood was drawn. The antibody-infused plasma — a clear, yellow-orange liquid — was separated from the red blood cells, which were then pumped back into his body through a machine that whirred at his left elbow.The blood was drawn. The antibody-infused plasma — a clear, yellow-orange liquid — was separated from the red blood cells, which were then pumped back into his body through a machine that whirred at his left elbow.
Dr. Planer said that the timing of the donation, at the start of the Jewish holiday, was meaningful.Dr. Planer said that the timing of the donation, at the start of the Jewish holiday, was meaningful.
“In the Jewish Talmud, it says that saving one life is like saving the world,” he said. “And that sort of rings true a little bit.”“In the Jewish Talmud, it says that saving one life is like saving the world,” he said. “And that sort of rings true a little bit.”
Updated June 30, 2020
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
While there is no evidence that convalescent-plasma treatments can help with Covid-19, the technique has been used to fight other viruses, including Ebola, influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.While there is no evidence that convalescent-plasma treatments can help with Covid-19, the technique has been used to fight other viruses, including Ebola, influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
Enthusiasm for the potential treatment grew after a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on March 27 suggested that a small study of five critically ill patients in China had shown promising results.Enthusiasm for the potential treatment grew after a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on March 27 suggested that a small study of five critically ill patients in China had shown promising results.
“We need to be able to impact this epidemic in real time,” said Dr. David S. Perlin, the chief scientific officer of the Center for Discovery and Innovation at Hackensack Meridian, which includes 16 other New Jersey hospitals in addition to Hackensack University Medical Center.“We need to be able to impact this epidemic in real time,” said Dr. David S. Perlin, the chief scientific officer of the Center for Discovery and Innovation at Hackensack Meridian, which includes 16 other New Jersey hospitals in addition to Hackensack University Medical Center.
“We’re living it,’’ he added. “It’s our friends and colleagues and family.”“We’re living it,’’ he added. “It’s our friends and colleagues and family.”
The National Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma Project is a related effort that began several weeks ago as a clearinghouse for information and a way to match willing plasma donors with hospitals and doctors authorized to perform infusions.The National Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma Project is a related effort that began several weeks ago as a clearinghouse for information and a way to match willing plasma donors with hospitals and doctors authorized to perform infusions.
“This is really a grass-roots organization of academic physician scientists, who came together and said: How can we make this happen?” Dr. Paneth said. “This is to keep us alive until the vaccine comes around.”“This is really a grass-roots organization of academic physician scientists, who came together and said: How can we make this happen?” Dr. Paneth said. “This is to keep us alive until the vaccine comes around.”
In addition to being healthy and showing no signs of infection after testing positive for the virus, potential donors must satisfy all other requirements for giving blood.In addition to being healthy and showing no signs of infection after testing positive for the virus, potential donors must satisfy all other requirements for giving blood.
A donor’s blood type must be matched with a patient’s. And not everyone who contracted the virus will qualify, Dr. Donato said.A donor’s blood type must be matched with a patient’s. And not everyone who contracted the virus will qualify, Dr. Donato said.
For the Hackensack study, the plasma will be transfused into people who are attached to ventilators, and to those who have not yet needed the devices.For the Hackensack study, the plasma will be transfused into people who are attached to ventilators, and to those who have not yet needed the devices.
Dr. Donato said she was overwhelmed by the 3,000-person response to the initial call for volunteers. And the number of potential donors, she noted, was only growing.Dr. Donato said she was overwhelmed by the 3,000-person response to the initial call for volunteers. And the number of potential donors, she noted, was only growing.
“As the pandemic progresses, more and more people will be available,” Dr. Donato said in an interview. “The availability of donors very, very quickly will ramp up.”“As the pandemic progresses, more and more people will be available,” Dr. Donato said in an interview. “The availability of donors very, very quickly will ramp up.”
She said in a statement that she considered it a “race against time.”She said in a statement that she considered it a “race against time.”
“People are getting sick right now,” she said, “and we are working night and day to save as many lives as possible.”“People are getting sick right now,” she said, “and we are working night and day to save as many lives as possible.”