Plasma therapy to fight COVID-19

[WCCO-TV, April 26, 2020] Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s husband John Bessler on Sunday announced his recent participation in an experimental treatment for COVID-19 after recovering from the virus himself.

Officials say he was the seventh person to donate plasma as part of a program in Minnesota. Thousands of other recovered COVID-19 patients have participated nationwide.

Bessler waited to give his plasma until he was no longer contagious, which doctors say is critical. Dr. Frank Rhame, an infectious diseases physician at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, says it’s hard to know how helpful plasma donations will be.

“It’s the best we got, and it’s reasonable to hope that it’ll work,” Rhame said.

He says the more people who donate antibodies, the more the medical community will learn.