A state-sponsored COVID-19 infusion clinic opened Monday at 1 p.m. at the former Richards Memorial Hospital. By late afternoon they had already infused two patients. The infusions are given to people who have contracted the COVID-19 virus. After infusion patients are 70 percent less likely to be hospitalized when given within four or five days of the onset of symptoms develop. Patients do need to get a prescription from their doctor for the infusion.
So what is an infusion? “This is another weapon in our arsenal to deal with COVID-19 and we are lucky to have it in Milam County,” according to Milam County Judge Steve Young.
Antibodies are naturally produced by your body to fight off infections. When your body is introduced to a new virus such as COVID-19, it does not have the antibodies to fight it off. That is where monoclonal antibodies come in. Monoclonal antibodies are created in a laboratory. They can target a particular virus or infection such as COVID-19.
Monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 may block the virus that causes COVID-19 from attaching to human cells, making it more difficult for the virus to reproduce and cause harm. Monoclonal antibodies may also neutralize a virus.
Monoclonal antibodies are given by IV to people diagnosed with COVID-19. This therapy uses COVID-19 antibodies to help a person’s body fight off the infection. Research suggests these antibodies lower the amount of virus — the “viral load” — in a person’s body. People with lower viral loads have milder symptoms.
Who is at risk for severe illness?
Some people who are at high risk for severe illness can be eligible for infusion therapy and they include people who are not fully vaccinated, people who are at high risk of exposure to an infected individual if they live in places such as nursing homes or prisons, people who have medical conditions that may not give them full protection from the COVID-19 vaccine, people on chemotherapy or kidney dialysis or who have organ transplants.
While anybody can get very sick or even die from COVID-19, those most at risk include people 65 years of age or older, those 55 years or older with one or more of the following: heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic respiratory disease including asthma, a weakened immune system, taking medicine that weakens your immune system, obesity, diabetes (type 1 or type 2) and chronic kidney disease.
Also eligible are children and adolescents 12-17 years of age and weighing more than 88 pounds with asthma/chronic respiratory problems requiring daily medication, cerebral palsy, sickle cell or heart disease.
Talk to your doctor about infusion therapy because a prescription is required and finding out early is key.
Staying healthy is all about being informed, and your healthcare provider will know if infusion is right for you.
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