St. Elizabeth Healthcare is among hospital systems in Kentucky receiving a share of monoclonal antibodies to treat people with COVID-19.
The Kentucky Department of Health's commissioner announced Thursday that the antibody treatments, which have been in demand across the commonwealth, will be available at 51 locations in the state, and a map of the sites is available via kycovid19.ky.gov. The news came during a live COVID-19 and economic update that Gov. Andy Beshear held on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, St. Elizabeth put up a new webpage stating that it is a Kentucky Regional COVID-19 Antibody Administration Center and has a supply of monoclonal antibody therapy. The site is in the St. Elizabeth – Florence Outpatient COVID Infusion Unit, at 4900 Houston Road.
Anyone who hopes to qualify for the therapy is asked to see their St. Elizabeth primary care physician first. Those without a St. E physician may get a recommendation from their own primary care doctor or set up a one-time virtual visit with a St. E health team. Those who qualify will be contacted within 48 hours, the site states.
A monoclonal antibody is a laboratory-created antibody. It is designed to target and bind to the COVID-19 spike protein, blocking the virus from entering the body’s cells. The therapy may be given to people who have been have mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, have a high risk of getting seriously ill, and could end up hospitalized or worse.
"The monoclonal antibodies can help give your immune system a boost," Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said. "They are effective – they are about 75 to 80% to (reduce) hospitalizations."
But Stack recommended that people get vaccinated against COVID-19, which, he said, offers the greatest protection against the spread and severity of the COVID-19 virus.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides states with the monoclonal treatment doses each week. This week, Stack said, Kentucky received about 6,100 doses, down from about 6,900 doses last week.
The allotment criteria includes a requirement that the state use at least 70% of its previous antibodies shipment. HHS also considers the number of new cases and hospitalizations in each state for the week. Stack said hospitalizations currently are declining in Kentucky.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration set the criteria for the monoclonal treatments for people with COVID-19 who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
"You cannot count on them to save your life if you are unvaccinated," Beshear said. "Please get vaccinated."
The St. Elizabeth outpatient site hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday-Saturday with the exception of Wednesday, which offers hours 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
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