SAN DIEGO — Monoclonal Anti-Body Infusion Treatment has worked wonders for thousands of people across San Diego who've tested positive for COVID-19. It is proving to be a simple procedure that has yielded solid results.
President Trump was one of the first given the experimental treatment last year; it's now helping huge numbers of Americans.
"Monoclonal Anti-Body Infusion Treatment is very effective for high-risk patients and prevents progression of disease and decreases the risk for hospitalization and death,” said Dr. Lucy Horton runs the program at UCSD Health.
Dr. Horton explained what it means to be considered "high risk". "Patients who are high risk are those over 65, obese, immuno-compromised or have another underlying health condition, such as cardiovascular disease," Horton said.
This treatment is available to anyone who tests positive and is high risk, regardless of vaccination status according to Dr. Horton.
Worries were also voiced about the treatment changing a person's vaccination status or leading to a positive test for COVID-19. Dr. Horton said, "The answer is no to both questions. The anti-body does not contain virus or virus particles."
Early in 2021, some people suffering from COVID-19 found it difficult to get the treatment; now it's readily available. It’s limited to outpatients with mild to moderate symptoms, within ten days of the onset of symptoms. The treatment should take about two hours which includes one hour of infusion followed by one hour of observation.
Dr. Horton explained that they don't have a waiting list but "do have an institutionally approved system for assessing and ranking patients according to their risk status."
News 8 asked, “If you were hospitalized but recovered quickly; are you still eligible for infusion?”
Dr. Horton told us, "The answer is yes, as long as they're still in the early window from the onset of symptoms, they can receive MCAI as long as they're no longer admitted for COVID illness."
UCSD Health only administers the infusions at the Hillcrest location but there are many other hospitals and medical centers across San Diego, now providing treatment, as well. This includes Scripps Mercy Hospital at Hillcrest and Chula Vista, as well as Scripps Coastal Medical Center in Vista.
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