Covid-19

VT hospitals deploy Covid-19 antibody treatment

By on • ( 9 Comments )

By Guy Page

Vermont hospitals this month have administered 13 times more doses of monoclonal antibodies in November than in September, Health Commissioner Mark Levine said at today’s press conference.

In September, only 17 doses of the injected, Covid-fighting antibodies were administered in Vermont hospitals, Levine said. The number in November rose to 225.

There’s no hard data yet on how well monoclonal antibody treatment is working. The state is tracking that information, he said. Anecdotal information is positive and even the relatively light use of monoclonal antibodies in hospitals is encouraging, Levine said. Monoclonal antibody treatments typically are given in an out-patient setting, to keep people out of the hospital. 

“If they don’t end up in the hospital….that’s a very positive sign,” Levine said. The Health Dept. is working on acquiring more doses and plans to set up mobile clinics, he said.

Levine added that monoclonal antibodies are being used both for treatment and as a “post-exposure prophylactic” to fight an outbreak (71 cases) at the Crescent Manor nursing home in Bennington.  

And speaking of treatments, an FDA decision is expected within weeks on Molnupiravir, the Merck anti-viral treatment that is a chemical cousin of Ivermectin. Levine noted that latest studies show it works only 30% of the time, down from the 50% estimate announced this fall. “We’ll await the FDA review of all of the data,” he said. 

Support Vermont DailY Chronicle TODAY for $9/MONTH

Categories: Covid-19

Tagged as: ,

9 replies »

  1. So why, exactly do we need the Merck “chemical cousin” drug when we already have ivermectin? And ivermectin is cheap, it has saved countless lives in many countries and in the US, and it has little to no side effects. Oh, that’s right, Merck doesn’t get the proceeds. Silly me.

    • Keep in mind that also means our government has been withholding lifesaving treatment this whole time. How many hundreds of thousands of americans have died by being withheld lifesaving treatment???

      • At this point in time, the endorsement of Ivermectin and HCQ by the government is an impossibility, for the exact reasons you have given. Politicians and bureaucrats would be tarred and feathered, or worse. We truly are on our own as individuals to figure out a best plan to treat SARS-CoV-2. It is up to us to obtain whatever information we can and determine the best course, for ourselves and our children.

  2. Nh is sending a test to anyone in nh. 2 people in house 2 tests. This is smart – people will be more willing to test earlier or before gathering . Tests are free why us vermont doing this??
    Over the counter tests are $25 for two. They should be free

  4. Florida has administered tons of monoclonal antibodies with much success. Why are we so late to the game? Oh yeah, politics. Silly me to forget that. How about using HCQ and Ivermectin? Oh right, supported by the “wrong” people and won’t make big Pharma any money. This is criminal.

  6. “If they don’t end up in the hospital….that’s a very positive sign,” Levine said.

    And yet for 20 months Dr. Levine has done next to nothing to encourage any kind of early treatment that would have prevented many if not most hospitalizations. (Treating a disease early! What a concept!) He has not looked at other places, such as India and Japan, where Covid mortality rates dropped like a rock following the introduction of ivermectin. Nor has he paid any attention to the testimonies of many brave American doctors who have saved lives despite the government obstacles thrown at them.

    I don’t think Levine or anyone in the DOH will eventually see the light; the official approved narrative is hard as cement in their collective thinking. The only thing the rest of us can do is refuse to be dragged over the cliff with them.