Monoclonal Antibodies To Treat COVID-19 Positive Patients

Sep 08, 2021

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 you may be asking, What can I do to reduce the risk of getting sicker? Is there treatment for COVID-19? There are treatments that may reduce the risk of getting sicker if you have COVID-19. Monoclonal antibody treatment (mAb) is a new form of treatment for people suffering from COVID-19. Eligibility to receive this treatment will depend on your age, health history, and how long you’ve had symptoms of COVID-19.

Early studies suggest that monoclonal antibody treatment can reduce the amount of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19) in a person’s system. This amount is known as “viral load.” Having a lower viral load means a patient may have milder symptoms thereby decreasing the likelihood of needing to stay in the hospital.

What Is a Monoclonal Antibody?

Our bodies naturally make antibodies to fight off an infection. However, our body may not have antibodies designed to recognize a new virus like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs, are antibodies made in a laboratory to fight a particular infection—in this case, SARS-CoV-2—and are given to patients directly with an infusion. Monoclonal antibody treatment may help patients who are at high risk for serious symptoms or prevent them from having to stay in a hospital.

Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for COVID-19 is different from a COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine triggers your body’s natural immune response, but can take weeks to develop enough antibodies to prevent some kinds of infection. Some vaccines for COVID-19 require two shots, so your body can develop its own immune response to the disease. But if you already have the virus, monoclonal antibody treatment can give your body the antibodies it needs to protect itself.

Who Is Eligible For Monoclonal Antibody Treatment?

Monoclonal antibody treatment may help people who…

• Have a positive COVID-19 test, and had symptoms for 10 days or less
• Are at high risk of getting more serious symptoms

Your healthcare provider may decide you don’t qualify for monoclonal antibody treatment. There could be several reasons for this. You may not meet all of the eligibility criteria, or you may have an underlying health condition that disqualifies you for treatment.

How To Get Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

Speak with your doctor or medical provider first to get their opinion on medical services. If you have had symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days or less, your doctor or medical provider can refer you for treatment.

If you do not have a healthcare provider, you can call the Combat COVID Monoclonal Antibodies Call Center at 1-877-332-6585 to find out who to talk with about your symptoms and treatment. There is no cost to anyone for the antibodies themselves, but there may be treatment fees. If you do not have insurance, ask the facility if there will be a charge.

How Do I Know If I Have COVID-19?

Get tested if you suspect you have COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. There are a number of at-home tests you can use, however, a PCR test done at a medical facility with a lab will have greater accuracy.

At HealthCore Clinic, we can perform rapid PCR tests for COVID-19 with results available typically within 15-30 minutes. Our experienced nursing staff and state-of-the-art lab can provide accurate testing as well as resources if you do test positive. Tests are often conducted in the comfort of your car in the parking lot of our Respiratory Clinic, located at the East entrance of our building.

To schedule a rapid PCR test, please call us at 316-691-0249.

FAQ

• Does COVID-19 antibody treatment contain COVID-19?No. Monoclonal antibody treatments don’t contain any live SARS-CoV-2, so there’s no risk you’ll get COVID-19 from mAb treatment.
• Is monoclonal antibody treatment a cure for COVID-19?Monoclonal antibody treatment is not a cure for COVID-19, it is a treatment that can reduce the viral load and symptoms of someone who has COVID-19 to help keep them from getting sicker.
• Can I resume my regular schedule after an antibody treatment?It’s important to know that even if you start feeling better, you could still spread the virus for a while. You need to isolate yourself (be alone) until at least 10 days have passed since your first symptoms of COVID-19, your symptoms of COVID-19 are improving, and you haven’t had a fever in at least 24 hours without taking any medicine that reduces fever.
• What is the best protection from COVID-19?The best protection from COVID-19 is to get fully vaccinated, wear a mask, and take social distancing precautions.