MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY TREATMENT CLINIC CLOSES
Treatment not effective against Omicron variant, which is predicted to be dominant strain in Mesa County
The Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Treatment Clinic that opened nearly one month ago, located at 401 Kokopelli Blvd in Fruita, is closing. The last day of treatment for the clinic is January 3, 2021.
The initial plan for the clinic was to be open for one month with the potential to stay open longer depending on community demand. However, we were recently informed that REGEN-COV, the medicine used in the treatment, is less effective against the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Although MCPH has only identified three cases of Omicron variant in Mesa County, we expect cases to increase based on the contagious nature of the strain. In less than one month, Omicron became the dominant variant of COVID-19 in Colorado, making up more than 90% of all variant cases in the most recent week.
The clinic operated through a partnership between Mesa County Public Health (MCPH), Family Health West, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The clinic treated more than five hundred people who were potentially saved from experiencing severe illness due to COVID-19.
With the closing of the Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Treatment Clinic, MCPH continues to explore effective ways to treat COVID-19 in the community. A mobile unit with the capability to serve approximately 15 individuals per day with a different injection type that is effective against Omicron will be at Ariel Clinical Services, 2938 North Ave., through at least January 15. Appointments are available Monday through Saturday starting at 8 a.m. Scheduling information for this mobile clinic, provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), can be found here.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community, MCPH recommends getting vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, getting tested and staying home if you feel sick, wearing a face-covering when in indoor public spaces, and keeping immunity up by practicing healthy habits.