Another sign the worst of the COVID-19 omicron variant is well behind us: a reduced demand for monoclonal antibody treatments at Newman Regional Health.
Chief Executive Officer Bob Wright says it’s the latest good trend at the hospital, and it means an adjusted schedule for offering the treatments until further notice.
Monoclonal antibody treatments were first made available at Newman Regional Health in November 2020 and have been earmarked for residents with mild to moderate infections, are early in their disease and are deemed at higher risk of severe infection or hospitalization.
Speaking of specialty treatments, there have been some inquiries about the antiviral drug paxlovid, but Wright says supplies are limited in Emporia, residents need a doctor’s prescription to obtain it and it has to be taken within the first three days of symptom onset to be effective.
Meanwhile, demand for testing fell off sharply at the hospital during omicron’s peak, largely because supplies across the country vanished, but demand has remained low after infections started coming down late last month.
