Gov. Jared Polis pushes monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 patients as hospital numbers surge

As the current surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations accelerates, Colorado health officials are promoting monoclonal antibody treatment as a way to lower those numbers.

State epidemiologist Dr. Rachel ​​Herlihy said during a media briefing Friday that current models show that if the state can increase the use of monoclonal therapy, it could prevent 2,600 hospitalizations and 210 deaths between now and February. Additionally, expanded treatment uptake could decrease the state’s peak hospitalization number by between 150 and 300 patients.

That projected peak of more than 2,250 COVID-19 hospitalizations could hit in mid-to-late December, Herlihy told a group of state medical advisers earlier this week. Boosters and expanded monoclonal antibody treatment are two strategies the state is using to try and reduce the peak.

The treatment involves the direct infusion of lab-created antibodies into a patient early in their illness, before hospitalization is necessary.

Read more: https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/gov-jared-polis-pushes-monoclonal-antibodies-for-covid-19-patients-as-hospital-numbers-surge/