PITTSBURGH — UPMC health leaders discussed a new COVID-19 prevention treatment and the Delta variant at a news conference on Tuesday morning.
The hospital system said it is expanding access to a monoclonal antibody outpatient treatment that can be given to patients who have been exposed to the virus and are at a high risk for developing COVID-19.
"UPMC is dedicated to giving monoclonal antibodies – a treatment that if given within 10 days of onset of mild to moderate symptoms, decreases the likelihood of hospitalization and death," said Dr. Erin McCreary, an infectious disease pharmacist, who spoke at length about the exciting developments this treatment will offer patients.
In regards to how the treatment will work against developing variants of COVID-19, McCreary said, "both of the monoclonal treatments are active against the delta variant...in fact our early published data showed our hospitalizations and deaths in our patients decreased by 60% in patients who received antibody therapy.”
UPMC said they are offering two types of monoclonal antibody treatments for patients ages 12 and older.
In their press release, UPMC noted that to receive the therapy, "patients may receive monoclonal antibodies if they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, and who may be at risk for serious illness. Patients who are fully vaccinated but whose immune systems may not respond well to the vaccine may also qualify to receive monoclonal antibodies if exposed."
Doctors stressed that while this is an exciting medical development, the COVID-18 vaccines is still the most effective way to prevent severe illness and death.