WACO, Texas — McLennan County will open its 10-chair Regional Infusion Center on Sept. 28. The facility will help with treating patients with COVID-19 in Central Texas.
Located at the Texas State Technical College, free infusions will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday-Friday.
Infusions are meant for COVID-19 patients who are not yet hospitalized or on oxygen supplements.
“It’s going to help you recover, it’s going to help you feel better, but it’s also going to keep you out of the hospital," Kelly Craine said with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District. "Most people say that they do see relief and they do feel better after they get the treatment."
The treatment is free, however you must be positive for COVID-19 and have a referral from a doctor. Craine said If you don’t have a primary care physician, you can still get treated.
“You can call the center and they can work with you to get you a referral and make an appointment for you. So, it’s open to everyone. It’s free. We want to remove barriers, but you do need to be verified before you can get the treatment," Craine said.
The center will include personnel, equipment, supplies, and wraparound services. Centers like these will help increase bed capacity in hospitals so that resources are available for the most ill patients.
The State deployed similar measures back in November 2020 to communities across Texas.
The State of Texas through the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), in partnership with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest, Texas State Technical College, the Waco-McLennan County Office of Emergency Management, the City of Waco and McLennan County will open the infusion center as an additional resource for treating COVID-19.
City of Waco Mayor Dillon Meek says the partnership will benefit the city, as COVID-19 has heavily impacted hospitals.
“We are glad to partner with the State to bring this important resource to our community. Our local hospitals have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 and this infusion therapy has the potential to reduce hospitalizations by treating individuals before their illness progresses. The City of Waco is committed to working strategically and proactively in responding to the pandemic by doing community-minded work such as this,” said Meek.
Requirements:
Patients must be confirmed COVID-19 positive and should have a referral from a primary care physician.
Infusion centers will treat COVID-19 patients with therapeutic drugs that can prevent their condition from worsening and requiring hospital care.
Patients are eligible for the medication when:
- Patient must NOT be hospitalized or require oxygen therapy.
- Patient must NOT require an increase in oxygen rate due to COVID-19 if using for underlying comorbidity.
- Patient MUST be within 10 days of symptom onset
Patients without insurance or a primary care physician are encouraged to call the infusion center for additional information.
Patients can contact the infusion center by calling (254) 867-2005 or email: wacoinfusion@gothams.com.
To find out more about registration, visit here or call 1-800-742-5990 to find the nearest infusion center.