Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson donate blood for coronavirus vaccine
Tom Hanks revealed that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, have volunteered to donate their blood for coronavirus research after recovering from the disease.
“A lot of the question is, is what now? What do we do now? Is there something we can do? And, in fact, we just found out that we do carry the antibodies,” Hanks said on NPR’s podcast “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” last week.
“We have not only been approached, we have said, ‘Do you want our blood? Can we give plasma?' And, in fact, we will be giving it now to the places that hope to work on what I would like to call the ‘Hank-ccine,’” the actor joked.
He said he and Wilson are feeling “just fine” and “dandy” after it was reported last month that they had tested positive for the coronavirus while in Australia for a film project. They have since recovered and returned home to Los Angeles.
Hanks said that Wilson experienced nausea from the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. The drug has previously been touted by President Trump as a possible treatment for the coronavirus, although medical professionals have indicated there is little known evidence that it works effectively for COVID-19 patients.
Hanks said that his wife “went through a tougher time than I did," referring to the symptoms she experienced from the virus.
"She had a much higher fever and she had some other symptoms. She lost her sense of taste and smell. She got absolutely no joy from food for a better part of three weeks … She was so nauseous she had to crawl on the floor from the bed to the facilities,” he said during an interview with the National Defense Radio Show earlier this month.
The couple has encouraged people to continue practicing social distancing and abide by recommendations from health officials.
“Many, many thanks to everyone in Australia who looked after us. Their care and guidance made possible our return to the USA. And many thanks to all of you who reached out with well wishes. Rita and I so appreciate it,” Hanks said in a statement last month.
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/494672-tom-hanks-rita-wilson-donate-blood-for-coronavirus-vaccine
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NPR podcast - “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!”
We Call To Check In On Tom Hanks (And Ask Him To Play Not My Job)
Tom Hanks has had an amazing career — blockbuster movies, best-selling books, two Oscars, and of course, his triumph: hosting this show, once. He just got over a very bad cold, so we decided to call and check in on him.
…..
SAGAL: I have to ask on behalf of a - I think a concerned globe. How are you feeling, Tom Hanks?
HANKS: We are just fine, dandy. We had all of the flu-like symptoms. My wife, Rita, was a little worse off than me. She had a very high temperature. And we were isolated so that we would not give it to anyone else.
SAGAL: Right. Now that you've had it, aren't you supposedly, like, immune? You're superheroes. You can walk amongst us and be immune. Or is that just nonsense?
HANKS: Well, a lot of the question is what now, you know? What do we do now? Is there something we can do? And, in fact, we just found out that we do carry the antibodies.
PETER GROSZ: Wait. So can we harvest your body? Can we harvest your blood?
HANKS: Yes.
ADAM FELBER: Have you been approached?
HANKS: We have not only been approached; we have said, do you want our blood? Can we give plasma? And, in fact, we will be giving it now to the places that hope to work on what I would like to call the Hank-ccine. (ph)
(LAUGHTER)
GROSZ: Oh, please.
SAGAL: There could be no better ending to this international catastrophe than if the cure turns out to be the blood of Tom Hanks.
FELBER: That would be the best.
(continued)
https://www.npr.org/2020/04/18/837682956/we-call-to-check-in-on-tom-hanks-and-ask-him-to-play-not-my-job
(complete audio - 9 minutes, 28 seconds)
https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/waitwait/2020/04/20200418_waitwait_04.mp3