The coronavirus treatment given to President Trump when he was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital is now available in Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards said the monoclonal antibody fusion treatment can help high-risk patients from becoming seriously ill.
“I’m encouraging you to talk to your doctor to see whether you are a candidate for the monoclonal antibody treatment. Now in order to do that, it’s an outpatient procedure so your symptoms can’t be so severe that you need to be hospitalized,” said Edwards.
Edwards said candidates for this type of treatment must begin treatment as soon as they are diagnosed and be showing symptoms for no more than 10 days. Because this is an outpatient procedure, Edwards said monoclonal antibody fusion is beneficial in two ways.
“But this is a way to keep people out of the hospital, to preserve the hospital capacity and to save lives,” said Edwards.
Edwards said while he is not a physician, he’s heard promising results about treatment from the White House Task Force and from CEOs of local hospitals.
Those considered high risk for COVID are 65 and older with obesity, diabetes, and kidney disease, and those 55 and older with heart disease or hypertension are possible candidates for the new treatment.
“So, if you’re vulnerable if you have a positive test result if you have symptoms, as soon as possible talk to your medical providers and find out whether you are a candidate for the monoclonal antibody infusion,” said Edwards.
There are two companies that make the treatment Regeneron and Eli Lilly.
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