Prof. Gabi Barbash, a top commentator on matters related to the coronavirus since the pandemic began, assesses that US President Donald Trump’s doctors apparently have managed to prevent him from suffering a serious illness.
Prof. Gabi Barbash, former director general at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, on April 7, 2020. (Channel 12)
Speaking on Channel 12, Barbash explains that of the two drugs Trump was given, remdesivir prevents the virus from replicating in the body while Regeneron is experimental and includes antibodies that destroy the virus. Regeneron has been used on 270 patients so far with no side effects, he says.
“I imagine that his doctors assessed that he was on the path to serious illness, judging by the first two days,” Barbash says. “They took a make-or-break decision to give him experimental treatment. They apparently gave it to him very early. The effect of the antibodies given early in the illness… was apparently effective. Now they’re using steroids to prevent complications of the immune system.”
Asked whether Trump is out of danger if they discharge him tomorrow, Barbash says: “He’s not without danger, but, overall, they’ve apparently taken him out of the early stage of what could have been serious illness.”
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 4, 2020
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
