Lifesaving mAbs:
Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Fights COVID-19 in South Arkansas By Alex Bennett
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onoclonal antibody therapy can help speed the recovery of high-risk patients testing positive for COVID-19. Medical Center of South Arkansas (MCSA) began using monoclonal antibody (mAb) infusions to treat COVID-19positive patients on December 8, 2020. These infusions treat confirmed COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of disease progression and hospitalization, with the intention of helping them recover without requiring hospitalization or trips to the emergency room. High-risk patients include anyone over age 65 and people with underlying health conditions. The treatments are given in an outpatient setting at MCSA One Day Surgery and take around two and a half hours from start to finish. Like many hospitals across the state, MCSA received the mAbs free of cost from the Arkansas Department of Health. Upon confirmation of the infusions’ arrival, MCSA began development of a plan for administering them and communicating the treatment’s benefits to area physicians and the community.
18 SPRING 2021 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS
