Johns Hopkins Partners with Didi Gregorius to Send Message of Hope for COVID-19

Johns Hopkins University has partnered with Big League Baseball player Didi Gregorius to spread a message of hope that those infected with or exposed to COVID-19 shouldn’t feel ashamed or guilty but instead should join clinical trials to find solutions.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are studying if antibody-rich convalescent blood plasma therapy can effectively be used to treat people in the early stages of COVID-19 illness before they get too sick or prevent the infection in those who had a high-risk exposure to the virus at their homes or jobs. If proven effective, this affordable treatment option could be quickly scaled to doctors’ offices and urgent cares nationwide, and potentially allow for a return to normalcy. The need for volunteers is urgent: the more volunteers they get, the quicker they will know if this treatment option works.

The randomized double-blind trials are being conducted at more than twenty medical centers across the country, including in Alabama (Birmingham), Arizona (Whiteriver, Phoenix), California (Los Angeles, Irvine, San Diego), Connecticut (Danbury, Norwalk), Florida (Miami), Illinois (Chicago), Maryland (Annapolis, Baltimore), Massachusetts (Worcester), Michigan (Detroit), New Mexico (Gallup, Shiprock, Albuquerque), New York (Poughkeepsie, Rochester), Ohio (Cincinnati), Rhode Island (Providence), Texas (Houston), Utah (Salt Lake City) and Washington, D.C. The study is primarily funded by the US Dept of Defense. The study has not received any funding from a pharmaceutical company.

Johns Hopkins is looking for patients:

• Over 18 years old, symptomatic and tested positive within the last six (6) days.
• Over 18 years old, no symptoms but came into close contact with COVID-19 positive individual within the last four (4) days.

Individuals who are interested in participating in the trials should call (888) 506-1199 or visit www.CovidPlasmaTrial.org to take an eligibility survey and submit their contact information to the recruitment team. Volunteers may be compensated.

DISCLAIMER: Researchers are working tirelessly to find ways to better understand and eventually eliminate COVID-19 and the virus that causes it. New discoveries like this one, especially those related to clinical therapies and drug regimens, are still early in concept. This will require rigorous research, testing and peer review, all of which take time, before solid conclusions for clinical care and disease prevention can be made.

SOURCE: Johns Hopkins University

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