Antibody infusion helps father recover from COVID-19

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WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Getting sick from COVID-19 is just a memory for Jay Schlegel.

“It was tough with three young kids, 11 to 1, but COVID itself is no fun. I was just very tired, I really lacked energy, ”said Schlegel.

He immediately turned to his sister who runs the Ascension Via Christi infusion center in Wichita. A new clinic has been expanded to treat COVID-19 patients with antibody treatments. Schlegel was one of those patients.

“I am grateful for the regeneration I received from the infusion, which I started to feel better within a day,” he said. “It helped me. It helped my family.

Antibody treatments are free for people at risk of getting sick, such as Schlegel, who takes blood pressure medication. You must be experiencing one of the high risk factors to receive the infusion. Among these is being over 65 or overweight.

High risk criteria for antibody infusions:

At least 65 years old
Obesity or overweight with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25
Pregnancy
Chronic kidney disease
Diabetes
Illness or immunosuppressive therapy
Cardiovascular disease, including congenital heart disease
Chronic lung disease, including COPD or moderate to severe asthma
Sickle cell anemia
Neurodevelopmental disorders “or other conditions which confer medical complexity such as genetic or metabolic syndromes or severe birth defects
Have a technological addiction related to medicine such as a tracheostomy, gastrostomy or positive pressure ventilation unrelated to COVID-19
Other medical conditions or factors that put the patient at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19

Criteria to be met to be eligible for infusion therapy:

At least 12 years old
Weigh at least 40 kg (about 88 pounds)
Has one or more mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, malaise, headache, muscle pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, or shortness of breath on exertion
Within 10 days of onset of symptoms
First virus positive for SARS-CoV-2 test result in the last 10 days

Exclusion criteria for infusion therapy:

Hospitalized due to COVID-19
Need for oxygen therapy due to COVID-19
Requirement for increased basal oxygen flow due to COVID-19 in patients on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying comorbidity unrelated to COVID-19
Bacterial, fungal, viral or other infection suspected or proven to be serious (in addition to COVID-19)
Any comorbidity that requires surgery within seven days or is considered life threatening within 29 days
Receipt of an experimental intervention for SARS-CoV-2 (i.e. prophylaxis within 30 days of administration, COVID-19 convalescent plasma)

Since December, Ascension Via Christi has administered nearly 600 infusions and less than 15 have been hospitalized there. Ascension Via Christi administers more antibody treatments. However, the treatment remains under authorization for emergency use and is only available to those who are within 10 days of symptom onset.

Schlegel credits the treatment for helping him avoid serious illness with COVID-19.

“It has helped me. It has helped a number of people I know to ease the symptoms and get better faster,” he said. “It’s over there. We have to bring that to the people who have it. need. “

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