September 21, 2021
monolithic monoclonal
Having a puppy changes your life pretty quickly. Barlow gained 2 pounds in a week. His feet tell me that he has more growing to do. He is sleeping through the night. Good boy! But come evening, I am exhausted. Last night I went to sleep early, so tonight I can get back to writing. He has been a welcome distraction, but I have some things I want to write about this week.
So much news about COVID right now- vaccine data, new variants, boosters or not, increasing stress on the health care system, more deaths, worries about school kids, etc. Washington state is affected because many of our hospitals are caring for patients from neighboring states such as Idaho, which has so many ill people, most hospitals there are under “crisis of care” rules, unable to care for other illnesses. Decisions to ration care and triage are real. Heartbreaking decisions are being made, which increases the moral injury of already burned out health care workers.
Washington state passed 7000 deaths from COVID 19 in the past week. More than 1 in 500 Americans have died, since the beginning of the pandemic. With still more deaths to come, especially in areas where vaccine uptake it low.
Those numbers should be transformative. However, many people have been misled about COVID-19 and vaccines by professionals who should know better. The results have been deadly. Finally, some consequences are happening to physicians and health care workers who are spreading these dangerous lies. A new website hopes to help. The Washington Post published an editorial today focusing on the need to hold these doctors accountable.
One thing most people don’t understand is their own personal cost if they catch COVID-19. Last year, insurance companies covered all COVID related medical care 100%, with no co-pays and no deductibles. That has gone away. Many people are now receiving bills for their co-pays and high deductibles, and more. Sadly, many can’t afford those bills. And even more sad is that the vaccines are still free. Not to mention safe.
Fortunately, treatments for COVID-19 have improved and are more readily available. These will save lives. Several different monoclonal antibody infusions can reverse the course of illness when given early in the infection to high risk patients. If given too late, they don’t help. They are like a mega dose of antibodies that attack the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, preventing severe disease. The government currently covers the cost. Florida has set up infusion centers. Other states are offering them as well. Now, the FDA has approved the use in high risk patients, post-exposure, before they even test positive, for example in a family member with a big exposure. Guidelines exist on who they are recommended for, but that is not always followed. Shortages are a realistic challenge. finding the treatment is challenging, especially in rural areas.
A monoclonal antibody treatment costs about $1250. A vaccine costs about $20. The monoclonal antibody effectiveness is limited by time. The antibodies prevent your body from mounting an immune response and making its own antibodies, so you won’t develop natural immunity from catching COVID-19. If someone wants a vaccine, they have to wait 90 days to make sure the vaccine will not be thwarted by the remaining monoclonal antibodies. After that time, the vaccine will be effective.
But some people choose to not be vaccinated and plan to get treated again if re-infected, rather than have the vaccine help them make their own antibodies. Ironically, monoclonal antibodies are still under the Emergency Use Authorization, and not full FDA approval. Sometimes I really don’t understand how the human brain thinks.
Wash your hands, cover your nose, keep your distance in a well ventilated area, and be sensible. Spend time with puppies. It helps.
And finally, my caveat is that this is my experience and my opinions, which are subject to change as more information is available, and not related to the organization I work for. Thanks for reading.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/idaho-declares-statewide-hospital-resource-crisis-covid-surge-rcna1997
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/over-7000-people-have-died-from-covid-19-in-washington-state/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2021/1-in-500-covid-deaths/?itid=hp-more-top-stories
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/21/state-medical-boards-should-punish-doctors-who-spread-false-information-about-covid-vaccines/
https://www.businessinsider.com/oregon-doctor-who-spread-covid-misinformation-gets-license-revoked-2021-9
https://nolicensefordisinformation.org
https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/most-private-insurers-are-no-longer-waiving-cost-sharing-for-covid-19-treatment/
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/the-days-of-full-covid-coverage-are-over-insurers-are-restoring-deductibles-and-copays-leaving-patients-with-big-bills/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/09/18/covid-hospital-bills-insurance-deductible/
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/monoclonal-antibody-treatment-for-covid-19-effectiveness-cost-and-more
https://combatcovid.hhs.gov/i-have-covid-19-now/monoclonal-antibodies-high-risk-covid-19-positive-patients
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/monoclonal-antibody-treatment-combo-reduces-hospitalization-among-high-risk-patients-with-covid-19/
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/570480-arizona-governor-allots-60m-in-federal-funds-for-hospitals-that-use
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-authorizes-regen-cov-monoclonal-antibody-therapy-post-exposure-prophylaxis-prevention-covid-19
https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/monoclonal-antibody-therapy/
https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/anti-sars-cov-2-antibody-products/anti-sars-cov-2-monoclonal-antibodies/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/09/14/monoclonal-antibodies-shortage/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/18/health/covid-antibody-regeneron.html