PeaceHealth has begun offering an I-V therapy to COVID-19 patients at risk for severe complications. It’s the first time the treatment has been made available in the Eugene/Springfield area.
Monoclonal antibody therapy works by boosting the immune response so a patient can get faster control of the virus. An infusion clinic has been set up at Valley River Urgent Care Center. The therapy is approved for anyone 12 and older with underlying risk factors.
Brenda Ormesher is an infectious disease doctor with PeaceHealth Medical Group. She’s relieved to have a medicine to offer COVID patients.
“But it is not a cure and it is not a fix all. Vaccination is really our first line of defense and should be prioritized to prevent the infection all together.”
Ormesher said qualified patients must be referred by their doctor and it’s best to seek treatment one to two days after diagnosis.
When administered intravenously to a patient with mild to moderate COVID symptoms, the Monoclonal Antibody treatment has been found to reduce risk of hospitalization by up to 70%.
