Wednesday, September 1, 2021
New Haven, CT (September 1, 2021) – While not a new treatment, monoclonal antibody therapy is being administered more regularly and effectively to patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 with excellent results. Those treated with the monoclonal antibody for COVID-19 feel that they recover faster and their risk of requiring hospital admission is lower.
Monoclonal antibodies have been used to treat many diseases since 1986, but this new use for COVID-19 treatment has gained broad acceptance in the medical community. The medication is delivered through infusion after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and is indicated for patients with mild to moderate disease who are not hospitalized. Once in the body, these COVID-specific antibodies seek out SARS CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, to bind to a protein on the virus. This prevents the virus from infecting your cells and stop the virus from reproducing which limits further infection.
“We are seeing very positive results from those who are given the monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19,” said Jeffrey Topal, MD, Infectious Diseases, Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine. “Even with changes in viral mutations such as the delta variant, the current monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 still extremely effective.”
Those who receive the most benefit from this treatment are also those who are at most risk for severe complications from COVID-19. The treatment is offered to patients over age 65, or those who are obese, have chronic conditions like diabetes, heart failure or kidney disease. The earlier the treatment is delivered, the better the outcome. Treatment is recommended while the patient is still COVID positive, usually within seven days of a positive test, and is administered in a safe, outpatient location.
“When I was diagnosed in February, my doctor wasn’t aware of this treatment, but her husband had heard of it and she sent me straight to Yale New Haven Hospital to be infused,” said Sister Gina who is missioned at St. Thomas Convent. “My nurse Maggie was so uplifting, everyone involved in the infusion was so positive, and when two other Sisters at my Convent tested positive, they also went to Yale New Haven for infusion.”
Any patients who feel that this treatment is appropriate for them should contact their primary care physician for a referral. YNHHS has locations across southern Connecticut from Greenwich to New London and Westerly in Rhode Island where you can receive this treatment.
For more information please call 833-275-9644 (833-ASK-YNHH).
Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org
