Midmorning With Aundrea - April 16, 2020 (Part 1)

(Part 1 of 2) In the age of social distancing, it can be lonely for many people.

Now a Dutch company has discovered a way for loved ones to connect safely.

And Tom Hanks' wife Rita Wilson describes her symptoms of COVID-19.

Morning."

Staying at home can be lonely.

Everyone wants to protect older friends and family members.

But that means staying away.

And, that can increase loneliness.

Now a dutch company has created a new way for people to connect safely during the outbreak.

Cbs's ian lee has the story.

Nats..sisters touch plexiglass and say hi one sister has heart disease, the other the coronavirus.

Until recently it would be life threatening for aneeka to share a laugh like this with mien... but now the two senior citizens can feel close again behind the protection of a plexiglass window - thanks to the dutch company, flexotel.

"we thought let' make a container where people can meet, can be close to each other but on a safe distance and in a safe way."

The portable pods usually serve as sleeping cabins for festivals in the netherlands.

But in covid times, they've turned into meeting rooms. and they're popular...especiall y at nursing homes that have closed their doors to visitors.

Nats up...dutch this woman just saw her elderly dad.

She says "i was a beautiful visit, it's different than a phone call, especially when someone is hard of hearing like my father."

Creators say cabins like these so cabins like these offer a personal touch in a time of isolation.

"the first one w have placed is at a nursing home for elderly people and it's a big hit, they are very happy with the solution we found.

A solution that protects people's health while lifting their spirits.

Ian lee cbs news london.

A great idea.

But really, really pricey.

The safe rooms rent for about 27 hundred dollars for the first month and about 275 for every week after that.

Researchers at lsu are testing a blood therapy that's been used since the spanish flu.

It's being used to treat some of the most severe cases of covid-19.

Meg oliver looks at how - for some - this old treatment is providing new hope.

Critically ill patients at lsu health are receiving this infusion of plasma which may be their last best hope of survival.

Notes:00:02:10 dr. kevil "we were th first to begin convalescent plasma therapy and the patient has since really stabilized and is actually progressing toward getting better.

The century old treatment relies on antibodies taken from patients who recovered from covid 19.

It gives a massive boost to the immune system of coronavirus patients to help them kill the virus.

Recently, five patients from china with severe covid-19 infections recovered after undergoing this treatment.

Dr. chris kevil is leading the lsu trial.

Notes:00:02:25 meg "so this could be viable option."

Notes:00:02:27 "thi could definitely be a viable option."

More than 800 acute care facilities across the country participating in this trial approved by the fda.

But the number of covid 19 patients who can join the study is limited because of the critical need for more plasma.

Notes:00:06:14 dr. kevil "it's ver important for people who have recovered to donate plasma because honestly, this this really could be one of the best chances that some of these critically ill patients have at recovering.

00:07:15 sot david langston "and said, where, when?

Narr: when david langston's doctor asked him to donate he didn't hesitate.

It must happen in the two weeks after recovering which is when the body produces antibodies to fight the infection.

Sot/david langston/ 113 "if m getting this surviving it as easily as i did can help others who are going to have difficulties then i am glad that i got it //this is making me feel better about getting the coronavirus because i am helping others.

Narr: others like dr. bill whyte who is the first covid 19 patient to receive coronavirus has been the top priority for medical personnel, but many patients with chronic conditions still need to have their care managed during the pandemic.

Nancy chen has more on how technology is helping them.

Hi, carmela!

How are you?

I'm good, how are you carmela cipriano has been seeing dr. sonia qadir for years to manage her diabetes-- but this is their first ávirtualávisit.

Nancy: how was your experience with it?

Did you overall - 0336 carmela: i thought it was great, she came right into my living room.

I didn't have to leave the couch!

0341 more doctors are turning to telemedicine to manage their patients with chronic illnesses in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

I'm able to check up on them get a visual on how they're doing, and make sure they're still taking care of their diabetes and their high blood pressure and all their other chronic problems 0040 these visits could potentially save lives in the long term, according to dr. ali raja, an emergency physician at massachusetts general hospital.

While his days are focused on the coronavirus, he's concerned patients with chronic health problems as well as mental health issues are going without the care they need.

My main concern when we get past this surge of patients with covid 19 is that all the patients who haven't been able to see their primary care doctors or their specialists are going to have the consequences that we've been working with them for years to prevent.

Over this video chat, carmela was able to check-in with her doctor and get her medications refilled.

You need to take your medicine every day, and it was also good to know i could get my prescriptions and not having to be subjected to other sick people a convenient way to see the doctor and stay healthy and safe at home.

Nancy chen, cbs news, new york.

Patients should check with the insurance providers to make sure telemedicine visits are covered.

When we come back, couples who live on the road look for a place the global spread of the covid - 19 has changed the way we live.

In order to stop the spread, local, state, and federal governments are asking us to stay home.

But what if your home is on wheels and you don't have a place to park it?

Here's photojournalist steve kaufmann with the story of those who've made the road..

Home..

And how they're navigating this pandemic.

"we have plenty o room, we honestly haven't even filled up the closet."

Take a tour of alyssa bean and dan mini's place.

"it's small but i works for us."

It won't take long.

"fridge an freezer, toaster oven, microwave."

At 98 square feet it has everything they could need.

"we have a fridge have ice cream."

"yeah that's ke for me."

One bed, one bath, "so we have shower and toilet.

And a driver's seat.

"we've been on th road for just over a year."

Their home is on wheels.

"we call ourselve homeowners, it's paid off, no mortgage."

The couple has been full timing it on the open road just over a year.

"and we ar owners of the lucky bus."

A 2003 ford e-450 school bus from a district in upstate new york.

"no end in sigh really, it was supposed to be a one year trip we are just so fulfilled to live this lifestyle there are just so many benefits."

Like location location location a huge selling point for any home, especially one so mobile.

"we can open it u if we're in a national park or national forest we can be in bed and experience the outdoors and let all that fresh air in."

It's a trend that has exploded over the past few years, trading brick and mortar for steel and rubber.

"i've never had deeper sense of community than when i've lived in a bus."

A series of events forced alyssa to reboot her life.

"i feel like the bu life is the perfect option cause it allows me to live minimally, intentionally, and stay connected to the people and places that mean the most to me."

Dan came into the picture after lucky.

"she was chasin the dream and i thought that was amazing, so i hopped on board."

Working remotely as digital marketers from their home on wheels.

"they're definitel bumps in the road, you have to learn to be resilient."

The bump they hit last month was a big.

"it was a shock fo us just as it was everyone else."

The coronavirus outbreak hit the u.s. 'we felt like we were prepared for the situation because we were living in an off- grid vehicle."

A perfect way to ride out a pandemic.

'things started to get a little more serious when we heard about campgrounds closing, public lands closing."

The pair worried about finding clean water and a safe place to park.

"when the road i home where do you go?"

"this google do started floating around."

"she was the firs to sign up."

"we found i through instagram and i added all our information.

This is where aileen and max cotton come in.

"opening ou doors to someone who lived in a school bus seemed totally natural."

"this is our firs home, and his name is ace, this is ace van-tura a sprinter van."

You see this local couple put in some windshield time of their own.

"we are former va lifers."

Off and on for about three years before putting it in park just south of sunriver.

"being on the roa you really rely on the person you're traveling with."

But in these strange times you might need some roadside assistance.

"we connec pretty deeply to that community so if we had been in that situation we hope someone would do the same for us."

Providing the gift, in the form of a parking spot for folks to come off the road and shelter in place.

"we came here an they welcomed us with open arms, of course six feet apart."

"we're choosing t be part of the solution helping these people hunker down and limiting their movements."

"we wanted t really be responsible about this whole pandemic."

Across the country people got onboard to provide a port in this storm.

"it's only durin these unusual time where you can't go down any park or any road."

"we were feelin misplaced."

Wandering no longer.

Thanks to the power of community and shared experience , the owners of the lucky bus&got lucky.

"that spreadshee was a lifesaver for us, we were literally across the country from home."

A life line via a google doc created by fellow road trippers whom these four have never met.

"it's such beautiful thing to see the global community come together to support each other in this scary and uneasy time."

Sometimes the rules of the road unwritten, "but you just hav to roll with the punches."

But the right thing to do is crystal clear.

"until they need t leave, if they're sitting in our driveway until december, that's just fine with us."

Open ended support, for a couple on an open ended road trip.

In sunriver steve kaufmann central oregon daily actress rita wilson has recovered from the coronavirus.

She and husband tom hanks were diagnosed and treated while in australia .

In her áfirstá interview since being diagnosed, wilson talks to gayle king about the illness, recovery and what's next.

I was very tired.

// i felt extremely achy-- uncomfortable, didn't wanna be touched.

And then the fever started.

Chills like i've never had before.

Also realized that i was losing my sense of taste and smell, which i didn't realize it at the time.

How high-- and i had-- --was your fever?

I think it got close to 102 // 00:06:10 // about day nine they gave me chloroquine.

And i know people have been talking about this drug.

But i can only tell you that i don't know if the drug worked or it was just time for the fever to break.

To run its course?

But my fever did break.

But the chloroquine had such extreme side effects.

I was-- like?

--completely nauseous.

And i had vertigo.

I could not walk.

And my muscles felt very weak.

// i think people have to be very considerate about that drug.

We don't really know if it's helpful in this case.

Did tom have similar symptoms to you?

Were your symptoms different?

He had milder symptoms. he didn't have as high a fever.

// he did not lose his sense of taste or smell.

// but it still took us the same time to get through it.

Do you think you gave it to him or he gave it to you?

Or do you know how either of you got it?

It was somebody they said that tom and i were both exposed to at the same time.

We don't know when that could've been or where.

// but all i can say is all of our close contacts, family // on our work team, no one has tested positive.

Have the doctors told you that now that you all have it, that you're now immune from it?

Do you know?

Well, that's what they told us and that's what the belief is.

We recently have-- been part of a study where we've donated our blood.

//and we're waiting to hear back if // our antibodies will be helpful in developing a vaccine.

But also, if we are able to donate plasma that can be used-- as donation to other people who are suffering from the virus because we are immune.

00:18:33 the other thing // when you came out online with naughty by nature, rita, while you're still in recovery that went viral just like that.

Rita wilson i love that song, hip hop hooray by // rap legends-- naughty by nature.

Here's the story behind it.

I did this movie called boy genius // this character that i played gets to sing hip hop hooray//and so it took me a month to learn that song, gayle.

One month.

Wow.

Because it is so intricate.

It's like learning foreign rhythms, foreign languages.

// i had to go into the-- urban-- slang dictionary to learn what certain things meant.

And-- and then i just-- i was sitting there in quarantine.

// and i thought, "oh maybe i should do this for a brain exercise and see if i still remember the lyrics."

// thought, "well maybe if i just post this, it could be something fun and show people that we're okay.

// and i think the thing that-- made me feel really good was that naughty by nature had commented on it and said that they liked it.

/and then this idea came up that we should do a remix of it.

// you're yawningbut you never look my way and this was great because any time you stream it, m-- that translates into money.

And all of that money will go into the music cares covid-19 relief fund.

// but this is the thing.

This is what i want people to know about you, rita wilson, 'cause i'm not late to the rita wilson party.

' albums. i've got all four of them.

// the new york times-- "rita wilson has catch in her voice that conveys yearning."

About seven years ago-- i started writing music-- // 00:26:08 and i realized that i had found this thing that i loved, that felt like the truest part of myself.

But this is the thing, rita.

Hip hop hooray//your version went viral for a couple of reasons.

One, it was you.

Number two, you had such attitude when you were doing it.

// where did that come from, rita wilson?

That's what i thought was so great about it.

I don't know.

A whole different audience is seeing you now for the first time.

I think that music,// it's healing // and so if something is giving someone-- comfort or peace i'm thankful to be a part of it, really.

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