Well-known personal injury lawyer
Morris Bart survived a case of the coronavirus, The Times-Picayune reported yesterday. In the wake of his recovery,
Morris pledged to donate blood to LSU medical researchers. A team there is
working on using antibodies in the blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors to aid
people still suffering from the disease.
Morris's name will be familiar to
many locals because of his firm's advertising tactics, which include billboards
around town. They often feature the man himself wearing a pinstripe suit and
dark orange power tie, beside a slogan such as "One Call, Ya'll!"
The
Times-Picayune previously reported on Morris's condition in early April.
Initial symptoms ("low fever, cough, and fatigue") seemed to indicate a
comparatively innocent sinus infection. When a round of antibiotics failed,
Morris took a coronavirus drive-through test, which came back positive.
The lawyer's experience with the
sickness was relatively forgiving. The symptoms went away following two weeks
spent quarantining at home. He tested negative 21 days after receiving the
diagnosis.
Morris looks forward to volunteering
his now-valuable blood to scientists. He will be able to do so in the coming
days, since medical regulations require that blood donors let four weeks elapse
after contracting the illness.
Louisiana has suffered from one of
the most prolific per-capita coronavirus rates in the country. As of this week,
the disease has claimed over 2,200 victims in the state. Many people now look
to the scientific community for answers. Treatments developed from survivor
antibodies have helped stymie pandemics in the past.
