EVERYBODY.

MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS THE CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR

CBS NEWS.

PLEASE WELCOME, DR. JONATHAN LAPOOK!

DOCTOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE, STEPHEN.

>> Stephen: PEOPLE SAY WE'RE AT WAR WITH THIS VIRUS.

THEY'RE USING THAT METAPHOR A LOT.

>> YEAH.

>> Stephen: WHEN YOU GO INTO A WAR, CERTAINLY YOU HAVE A GOAL

OF WHAT VICTORY IS.

YOU HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY.

WHAT'S OUR EXIT STRATEGY FOR THIS VIRUS?

>> YEAH, WELL, ULTIMATELY, THE EXIT STRATEGY IS THAT THIS

VACCINE IS WIDELY GIVEN.

SO AMAZINGLY, WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH A VACCINE, WHEN THEY MADE

THE VACCINE FOR SARS, IT TOOK 20 MONTHS.

WHAT THEY'VE DONE SUBSEQUENTLY IS FEWER AND FEWER MONTHS TO DO

IT.

SO TONY FAUCI EXPLAINED THIS ALL TO ME.

IT TOOK ABOUT TWO MONTHS-- I THINK IT WAS 63 DAYS FROM THE

MOMENT THEY GOT THE SEQUENCE OF THIS NEW VICE, THE NOVEL

CORONAVIRUS, UNTIL IT WAS A VACCINE THAT WAS TO BE TESTED.

BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF,

FOR IT TO BE ADEQUATELY TESTED.

BY THE WAY, I THE WAY THEY DID THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

THEY HAD A ZIKA VACCINE THAT WAS ALREADY INVENTED.

THEY BASICALLY UNSCREWED A PART OF IT THAT WAS SPECIFIC FOR ZIKA

AND SCREWED ON A PART FOR THE CORONAVIRUS.

>> Stephen: DID THEY USE CHISPR TO DO THAT?

>> THEY DID NOT USE CRISPR, BUT THAT WAS A REALLY SMART

QUESTION.

>> Stephen: THAT'S WHAT I SPECIALIZE IN, SMART QUESTIONS

THAT ARE NOT APPLICABLE.

>> AND YET, A SMART QUESTION NEVERTHELESS.

I THINK ULTIMATELY WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE MORE RELAXED WHEN WE

HAVE A VACCINE THAT WE KNOW WORKS, WANT MILLION-DOLLAR

QUESTION.

>> Stephen: WHY DOES THIS TAKE A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF?

IF WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS POSSIBLE VIABLE IN TWO, TWO AND

A HALF MONTHS, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF

THAT WE'RE WAITING?

>> TESTING.

SO THE FIRST PHASE IS TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW, IS IT SAFE?

DO PEOPLE GET IT-- SMALL NUMBERS?

AND DO THEY HAVE SOME HORRIBLE REACTION?

THEN A LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A PHASE TWO.

THEY MAY COMBINE IT WITH PHASE THREE, TO SEE ARE THERE ANY

UNEXPECTED SIEFNGS?

YOU KNOW, STEPHEN, MEDICINE IS AN ETERNALLY HUMBLING

PROFESSION.

SERIOUSLY, IF YOU HAVE BEEN A DOCTOR AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY HIEWB LIS LEFT, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG

PROFESSION.

LOOK AT THALIDOMIDE, DRUGS THAT HAVE TERRIBLE SIEFNGS.

WE'RE HOPING, WE'RE CROSSING OUR FINGERS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE

SAFE AND FIESKT BUT YOU DON'T DEBT BIT ON IT.

THIS IS NO TIME TO THROW OUT SCIENCE.

IT'S A TIME TO EMBRACE SCIENCE AND MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THINGS

THE RIGHT WAY, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S SUCH A PRESSURE TO SAY,

"LET'S GO AHEAD AND TRY IT."

>> Stephen: WHEN CAN WE EMBRACE EACH SNRG WHEN CAN I GO

OUT ON A STREET AND HUG STRANGERS.

>> YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET HUGGED, YOUR OXYTOCIN, THE FEEL-GOOD

HORMONE, GOES UP.

NOT ONLY DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD, IT ACTUALLY HELPS REGULATE

YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

AND OF COURSE WE NEED OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO BEAT THIS

VIRUS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE ANY KNOWN TREATMENT

FOR FOR.

SO NOT ONLY DO HUGS INCREASE OUR OXYTOCIN, MAKE US FEEL GOOD.

BUT THE SOCIAL-- THE SOCIAL-- BUT THE SOCIALIZING, GETTING

TOGETHER MAKES US LESS ANXIOUS.

IF WE'RE LESS ANXIOUS, WE CAN GET BETTER SLEEP.

IF WE GET BETTER SLEEP-- GUESS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SLEEP IN

YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS REPAIRED, AND WE NEED THAT.

>> Stephen: SPEAK OF NO KNOWN TREATMENT FOR THIS, SOME PEOPLE

ARE PUSHING THE IDEA OF HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE AS THE

ANSWER.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THAT'S RIGHT.

OTHER DRUGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROMISING HAVE BEEN KEVZARA, AND

REMDESIVIR.

>> YES, REMDESIVIR.

>> Stephen: HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO KNOW IF THESE ARE VIABLE

TREATMENTS?

>> AGAIN, THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE SCIENCE.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE REALISTIC.

IN THE HOSPITAL-- THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE HOSPITAL IN

THE TRENCHES, WHICH IS PEOPLE ARE SICK AS HELL.

AND DOCTORS WANT TO TREAT THEM WITH SOMETHING, EVEN IT'S NOT

PROVEN, EVEN IF IT'S NOT PROVEN.

SO WHEN A PATIENT COMES INTO A HOSPITAL, INTO MY HOSPITAL,

N.Y.U. LANGONE, THEY'LL GET A COCKTAIL.

THEY'LL GET HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, ZITH ROMAX, ZINC,ST STEROID

ANTI-COAGULATION, AND IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHICH IS THE

PERFECT STUDY TON WHICH OF THOSE HELP?

THERE'S THAT.

ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE TO DO THE CONTROLLED TRIALS.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO DO THOSE TRIALS IN

THE HOSPITAL WHEN PEOPLE ARE SO SICK AND YOU JUSTUE JUST-- YOU

WANT TO BE SCIENTIFIC BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING.

AND I THINK THE TRIALS THAT ARE UNDER WAY RIGHT NOW-- AND THEY

ARE UNDER WAY RIGHT NOW-- ARE LOOKING NOT ONLY AT THE SEVERE

DISEASE BUT AT PEOPLE WHO HAVE MILDER DISEASE AND PEOPLE WHO

ARE-- HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE COVID.

SO MAYBE IF A DOCTOR HAS COVID, AND HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE IS GIVEN,

OR OTHER IMMEDIATES ARE GIVEN TO THEIR RELATIVES OR CLOSE

CONTACTS, MAYBE THAT WILL HAVE A ROLE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WOE DON'T KNOW.

AND, REALLY, STEPHEN, THERE'S NO REASON TO PLACE A BET ON IT.

YOU DON'T TO HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT.

WE WANT THEM ALL TO WORK.

WE HAVE TO TRY THEM ALL.

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S PROVEN.

>> Stephen: NOW, WE ASKED OUR AUDIENCE OUT THERE, WHO ARE

FOLLOWING US ON TWITTER, WE ASKED OUR TWITTER FOLLOWERS TO

TWEET US THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS FOR YOU.

I CAN-- CAN I PASS ON-- SOME OF THESE ON TO YOU?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

THIS IS FROM...

>> YEAH.

SO THERE WAS SOME INTERESTING STUFF.

IT COULD BE ON CARDBOARD FOR A DAY OR SEVERAL DAYS IF IT'S ON

PLASTIC OR METAL.

BUT HERE'S THE GOOD THING-- THIS VIRUS HAS A MEMBRANE THAS A

LIPID MEMBRANE, AND IT DISSOLVES LIKE THAT WITH SOAP.

SO JUST TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF, THROW THEM IN THE LAUNDRY, ON

WARM CYCLE, WITH SOAP, AND THAT SHOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.

>> YEAH.

SO, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO-- YOU

DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE.

YOU'RE TRYING AS HARD AS YOU CAN, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO

BECOME ALMOST AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND SAY WHAT'S THE WORST-CASE

SCENARIO?

THE PERSON WHO DELIVERED THE FOOD HAD VIRUS ON THEIR HANDS

AND NOW THE VIRUS IS ON THE BAG.

WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING IS I HAVE THE BAG LEFT OUTSIDE THE

APARTMENT-- ORT HOME-- I TAKE IT OUT OF THE BAG EYE TAKE THE

STUFF OUT OF THE BAG, I PUT IT IN THE SINK.

IF IT'S GOT PLASTIC AROUND IT, I'M GENTLY SUDSING OFF, SOAPING

OFF THE PLASTIC CONTAINER.

AND THEN-- AND HERE'S THE KEY THING-- I MEAN, YOU CAN DECIDE

WHETHER YOU WANT TO THEN-- EAT IT IN THE PLASTIC OR TRANSFER IT

FROM THE PLASTIC TO SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT THE KEY THING IS THIS: IF YOU WASH YOUR HANDS-- AND I MEAN

REALLY WASH YOUR HANDS FOR 20 SECONDS, AND YOU DON'T TOUCH

YOUR MOUTH, NOSE, ORIZE BEFORE-- EVEN IF IF YOU HAVE VIRUS ALL

OVER YOUR HANDS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO INFECT YOURSELF.

IT DOESN'T MAGICALLY GET TO YOU.

THE WAY WE GET TOUR HANDS TOUCH SOMETHING, IT'S GOT VIRUS ON IT,

AND THEN, OF COURSE, 23 TIMES AN HOUR WHEN THEY SECRETLY VIDEOED

MEDICAL STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA, 23 TIMES AN HOUR THEY TOUCHED

THEIR FACE.

WE ALL DO THAT.

THE KEY THING IS TO WASH YOUR HANDS A LOT, TO SNEEZE INTO THE

CROOK OF YOUR ARM, OR INTO A TISSUE, AND THEN THE SOCIAL

DISTANCING.

SO ALL THIS STUFF THAT SEEMS SOICISM CELL REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> Stephen: THAT QUESTION WAS FROM THE REALLY ALEX.

>> YOU BET.

AND THIS IS THE QUESTION WE'RE ALL ASKING OURSELVES, RIGHT?

IT'S COLD, FLU, AND ALLERGY SEASON.

WE'VE ALL HAD SNIFFLES, A COLD, ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS.

IT'S EXWRG EXWG FROM, LET'S SEE, NO SYMPTOMS-- ASSISTMATIC-- TO

HORRIBLE PNEUMONIA AND YOU'RE ON THE VERGE OF DEATH.

EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN A LOT OF US ARE WONDERING IF WE HAD.

THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT ULTIMATELY IS SOME ANTIBODY

TEST.

LET ME QUICKLY GO OVER IT.

THERE'S THE P.C.R., TEST IN YOUR NOSE AND THROAT TO SEE IF YOU

HAVE ACTIVE VIRUS NOW.

THEM THERE'S THE BLOOD TEST.

IT'S A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST.

IT'S LIKE THE SAME TYPE OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE

MEASLES, MUMPS, AND RUBELLA TEST THAT A LOT OF US HAVE EACH YEAR.

YOU TAKE THAT, VERY QUICKLY, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHETHER YOU HAVE

ANTIBODIES.

THE REASON WHY ANTIBODIES ARE SO IMPORTANT IS THEY DON'T TELL YOU

IF YOU HAVE THE INFECTION.

THEY TELL YOU IF YOU HAD THE INFECTION.

AND HERE'S WHAT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE: IF YOU DO HAVE THESE

ANTIBODIES WHAT, DEGREE OF PROTECTION DO YOU HAVE AGAINST

FURTHER AND FUTURE INFECTION IF IT ACTS LIKE A LOT OF OTHER

VIRUSES HAVE, IT SHOULD BE FOR A YEAR OR TWO.

WE'RE NOT SURE.

WE'RE STUDYING THAT RIGHT NOW.

THE ANSWER TO HIS QUESTION IS YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT ANTIBODY

TEST, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

A LOT OF US, I BELIEVE, IT WAS PROBABLY AROUND JANUARY AND

FEBRUARY.

>> Stephen: WAIT A SECOND, IF YOU HAD IT AND YOU ACHIEVED

IMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU HAD IT, IF YOU TAKE YOUR BLOOD AND PUT IT

IN ME, AM I IMMUNE NOW?

>> NO.

SO YOU HAVE TO EITHER-- SORRY, STEPHEN.

THAT WHOLE VAMPIRE THING.

YOU HAVE TO EITHER GET INFECTED AND THEN DEVELOP IMMUNITY,

ASSUMING YOU SURVIVE-- WHICH 80% OF PEOPLE HAVE RELATIVELY MILD

ILLNESS-- OR THE VACCINE, WHICH THEN MAKES YOU HAVE YOUR OWN

IMMUNE SYSTEM.

THAT'S ACTIVE IMMUNITY.

WHAT'S CALLED PASSIVE IMMUNITY IS WHEN YOU GET SERUM, SOMEBODY

HAS HAD COVID-19, THEY RECOVERED, THEY HAVE A LOT OF

ANTIBODIES IN THEIR BLOOD, THEY TAKE STUFF CALLED PLASMA, THE

PART WITHOUT THE RED, WHITE CELLS AND PLATELETS IN IT, AND

GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY IN A TRANSFUSION.

AND THEY HOPE THE ANTIBODIES WILL PROTECT THEM, SOMEHOW FIGHT

THE VIRUS.

WE'RE NOT SURE IF THAT'S GOING TO WORK.

THERE ARE CLINICAL TRIALS GOING ON.

BUT, YEAH, SORRY ABOUT THAT STEPHEN.

>> Stephen: THERE GOES MY START-UP.

DOCTOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

STAY SAFE.

>> STAY SAFE YOURSELF, STEPHEN.

THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

>> Stephen: DR. JON LAPOOK, EVERYBODY!

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH CATE BLANCHETT.