New Treatment for Those with Mild to Moderate COVID-19

A new treatment for those diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19 is being offered at Essentia in Duluth.

NORTHLAND – A new treatment for those diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19 is being offered at Essentia in Duluth.

The drug being used in this new antibody treatment at Essentia Health is called bamlanivimab, which mimics the immune system’s ability to fight off viruses like COVID. The aim of the treatment is to make sure that people don’t progress to more severe disease after getting COVID.

“And so we are targeting patients with mild to moderate symptoms in hopes that we will be able to keep them out of the emergency department and hospitalization,’ said Stephanie Nixon, the antimicrobial stewardship program manager at Essentia Health.

The patient will receive a 16 minute IV infusion and they will be monitored for an hour after completion to make sure the patient doesn’t have any reactions. The patient would also need to receive this therapy within 10 days of having symptoms.

“When someone has a positive diagnosis and they’re feeling okay, they’re still very good candidates, those are the ideal candidates to get this treatment because we want to keep you from progressing and that’s what this treatment allows to have happen,” said Kate Dean, the executive director of Essentia Institute of Rural Health.

Bamlaivimab is investigational, which means it is not yet approved by the FDA for any conditions, while it is still being tested in research studies.

However, the FDA has authorized its use during the pandemic as it is believed that the drug may be effective in certain patients.

The treatment is for those age 12 or older who meet certain conditions.

Those who are qualified for the treatment have to have the COVID-19 virus, are within 10 days of beginning mild to moderate symptoms of having COVID, and meet at least one risk factor identified by the FDA.

There is also a hotline phone number for the treatment if you have questions concerning your eligibility. The number is 1-833-769-1524