Dwayne “The Rock Johnson, who joined “The Fight Is In Us” campaign in June, announced this week that he and his family all tested positive for COVID-19 and battled it over the last few weeks.
His young daughters were only mildly ill, but Johnson and his wife faced “a rough go,” Johnson announced in an Instagram video. He said all family members have recovered. Johnson, an action movie hero and former pro wrestler, said getting sick with COVID-19 was more difficult than other physical and emotional challenges he has faced.
“Testing positive for COVID-19 is much different than overcoming nasty injuries,” he said.
Johnson was among the first celebrities to support “The Fight Is In Us” campaign, which urges people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma. The blood plasma of those who have recovered contains antibodies, which could be potentially used as medicine to fight the virus. CSL Behring is part of “The Fight” campaign, which brought together medical institutions, companies that develop plasma-based medicines and philanthropic organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
CSL Behring is also a founding member of the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, a group of plasma companies who are working together to develop a “hyperimmune” medicine that contains concentrated antibodies. A clinical trial is expected to begin soon.
Learn more about how to donate plasma at The Fight Is In Us website.
Johnson said his family was infected with COVID-19 even though they stayed home. Family friends who came over to visit transmitted the virus. He urged extra vigilance, testing and wearing masks.
After recovering from the virus, Johnson said he remained hopeful and believed in the doctors and scientists who are working to develop vaccines and treatments.
“I do believe a year from now our world is going to look radically different,” he said.
Johnson is among a growing list of celebrities to announce they tested positive for COVID-19. Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, were among the first well known people to share that they had the virus. More recently, Kevin Hart said he also had COVID-19 and the production of a Batman movie was halted this week when actor Robert Pattinson contracted the virus.
