Tucson is now the second city in the country with a clinic solely focused on getting high risk COVID-19 patients an infusion of monoclonal antibodies to avoid severe illness and hospitalization.
The treatment centers are intended for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of severe illness that would require medical intervention.
The temporary COVID-19 infusion center is set up at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., and is for patients who meet certain risk criteria including:
• Being 65 years of age or older;
• Having a body mass index of 35 percent or greater.
Patients may also be eligible if they are age 55 or older and have heart or lung conditions, or if they are age 12 and older with certain medical conditions that make them vulnerable to severe illness.
Doctors and providers in the community can directly refer patients with a positive COVID-19 test who meet the criteria. Orders can be faxed to 520-324-5071. Patients without a primary care provider can go to the TMC Urgent Care, 2424 N. Wyatt Dr. Suite 140 for rapid COVID-19 testing, assessment and referral. No appointment necessary.
Earlier this week, El Centro Regional Medical Center in California became the first site in the country with a clinic focused solely on administering monoclonal antibody therapeutic treatments. A third center will open soon in Las Vegas.
Patients here will receive one of two monoclonal antibody therapeutics authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, either one from Eli Lilly and Company which uses the monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab or one from Regeneron, which combines the two monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab.
The medication is given intravenously and takes under three hours to administer, including patient observation afterwards.
Read more in Friday's Arizona Daily Star.
