Gov. Cooper tours NC monoclonal antibody infusion center following executive order expanding access
Gov. Roy Cooper toured a monoclonal antibody infusion center in Wilmington Wednesday, nearly two weeks after signing an executive order that expanded access to the COVID-19 treatment in North Carolina.
Standing outside the Cape Fear Clinic where doctors said demand for monoclonal antibody therapy has increased dramatically over the last month, Cooper said the state is on the right track.
"A lot of people are able to get this treatment now," he said. "I think people are beginning to realize how important it is and the evidence that continues to come down about how better people feel when they've had it is strong."
The monoclonal antibody treatment is meant to be received as soon as possible after getting diagnosed with COVID-19-within the first 10 days after you have symptoms or have been exposed to the virus in order to prevent you from being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19.
Dr. Rebekah Moehring, Duke Prof. of Medicine said just because you get the treatment and feel better because of it, doesn't mean you can skip over your isolation period.
"If someone has tested positive for COVID, the recommendations for isolation are the same regardless of what treatments they may have received. The goal is to prevent transmission of the virus to others," Moehring said.
According to the CDC, if you've tested positive for COVID-19, you can be around others after:
- 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
- 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
- Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving
Find a monoclonal antibody infusion center near you. The medication is covered by the federal government.
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