Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order to make it easier for North Carolinians to access to monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19. If taken early the treatment can decrease the risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death.
A statewide standing order for monoclonal antibody treatment will make it easier for people with COVID-19 symptoms, particularly those with less access to a regular health care provider, to get this potentially life-saving treatment. Under the order, treatment could be provided in a medically supervised community setting, such as at COVID-19 testing sites.
As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge across North Carolina, the use of monoclonal antibodies for treatment of COVID-19 increased by 18-fold since late June from 100 administrations for the week of June 23 to 1,874 for the week of Aug. 11.
While vaccines provide the best protection from COVID-19, treatment options such as monoclonal antibodies are available if you have had symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days or less or have been exposed to COVID-19. Ask your doctor about monoclonal antibodies or call 1-877-332-6585 (English) or 1-877-366-0310 (Spanish) to learn more.
School sports teams are urged to follow the NCDHHS guidance for youth sports as COVID-19 clusters increase among middle and high school teams.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals age 16 and over.
NCDHHS has launched TeenVaxFacts.com – a website dedicated to providing teens with the information, tools and resources they need to educate themselves, their friends and their family members about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines.
About Author
