WACO, Texas — Ascension Providence in Waco has received an allotment of bamlanivimab - a antibody therapy approved to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19.
The hospital made the announcement Friday and said it is working to set up an outpatient infusion clinic site with plans to begin providing the antibody therapy as early as next week. Ascension Providence said it has engaged a team to develop a "safe and efficient process" to provide the antibody therapy to the community.
The CDC announced Emergency Use Authorization of the antibody therapy earlier this month to treat COVID-19 in adult and pediatric patients who are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization. Patients must be 12-year-old or older and weigh at least 88 pounds to be considered for the treatment.
Additional criteria for the treatment consideration include: The patient is not hospitalized, has one or more COVID-19 symptoms, and within 10 days of symptom onset with a COVID-19 positive test within the last three days. The therapy treatment is administered by IV and can be given at physician-order only, according to the hospital.
