WESTON, FLA. (WSVN) - - Doctors at Cleveland Clinic in Weston are set to begin a new clinical trial using plasma filled with antibodies from patients who have recovered from COVID-19.

Dr. Carla McWilliams, the hospital’s chief of infectious disease, said on Thursday that the trial is part of an ongoing effort to find a cure for the virus.

“We’re learning as we go along, and the information that we get changes from one day to the next,” she said.

McWilliams said she and her team will collect plasma from patients who have recovered and inject it into people who are sick.

“You’re taking plasma that’s rich in antibodies from someone who’s already had COVID-19, and has recovered and had an immune response, and infusing that antibody-rich liquid into a patient in the hopes that it’s going to help them recover quicker or not deteriorate to a more severe illness,” she said.

The procedure sounds simple, but McWilliams said there’s still a lot to learn. One of the biggest questions is when to give the new medicine to someone who needs it.

“Is it before someone is on a ventilator? Is it ideal after? These are all unanswered questions,” she said.

A similar treatment was successful earlier this month in Orlando. Patient Michael Rathel, who was on a ventilator, recovered shortly after receiving antibodies from plasma.

It’s the kind of outcome McWilliams is hoping for in her trial.

Doctors at Cleveland Clinic said they need donations for this trial. If you would like to donate plasma through the OneBlood donation center, click here.

Anyone with questions and concerns about the coronavirus can call the Florida Department of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 1-866-779-6121.

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