As the world adjusts to a new reality set by the pandemic, scientists are racing for a COVID-19 cure or treatment as the virus continues to spread. However, those who have recovered from the illness might be a key to saving lives.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has no treatment and no vaccine, but antibodies from recovered patients could help current others who are fighting the deadly virus. This type of treatment was first used in the 1890s to treat diphtheria, a bacterial infection that impacts the throat and nose.
The blood component that carries the antibodies, known as plasma, can be gathered as "convalescent plasma" and given to newly infected coronavirus patients.
Donors must have tested positive for COVID-19 and must wait a certain period of time after they tested negative for the disease, or be symptom-free for at least 28 days if they didn’t get a follow-up test, before being able to donate plasma.
The whole donation process takes up to 90 minutes, according to Reuters. The blood is drawn from a donor, who met the appropriate criteria and is run through a device to extract the plasma before the remaining blood returns to the donor. The plasma from a single donation reportedly could be used to help two to four patients.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, convalescent plasma has been studied in other respiratory infection outbreaks before such as SARS in 2003, H1N1 influenza in 2009 to 2010, and MERS in 2012.
COVID-19 convalescent plasma is in clinical trials, but although the FDA points out it's promising, it has not yet been proven to be effective as a way to treat COVID-19. With that being said, doctors do believe the method is worth attempting.
NASA's Perseverance Rover unexpectedly has discovered volcanic rock on the surface of Mars. Scientists initially had thought the rocks were sedimentary in nature.
The deadly tornadoes that devastated Kentucky and five other states last weekend have brought climate change back to forefront of the conversation. Scientists say no single weather event can be pinned to climate change alone, but this December has been unseasonably warm, and warmer temperatures can make extreme weather events more likely. Jana Houser, associate professor of meteorology at Ohio University, joined Cheddar to discuss what role climate change might have played in these deadly tornadoes, and what can be done to prevent severe weather events like this from getting even worse in the future.
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Joellen Russell, Professor at the University of Arizona, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss how poor academic curricula and misinformation online are hindering efforts to educate children about climate change, as well as how Science Moms is providing resources to moms to help create a safer world for their children.
Another successful spaceflight is in the books for Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. The company's third human spaceflight blasted off from Van Horn, TX. on Saturday, lasting about ten minutes from takeoff to landing. The crew, which included former NFL star and current GMA host Michael Strahan, traveled to the edge of space and experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before the capsule descended back to earth. Andrew Chanin, CEO of ProcureAM, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the significance of the launch.
The U.S. Government is making its first major move toward encouraging nuclear energy in the U.S., as it pushes toward a sustainable future. Scott Waldman, White House reporter for Politico's E&E News joined Cheddar News to break down the developments. "There's definitely an audience for this now since we're looking at the value of nuclear in terms of climate policy," he said, regarding the prospects for bipartisan support.
Google reportedly has announced that its employees must declare their vaccination status by January 18 or face a loss of pay, administrative leave, and eventual termination.
