Regional Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Center in Ferris
Ellis County, TX – On Tuesday, September 14th, the Ellis County Commissioners’ Court partnered with the City of Ferris to jointly administer a regional monoclonal antibody therapy center. Their goal is to help reduce the number of COVID-19 patients in the county’s ICU beds.
The City of Ferris began operating the therapy center on September 13th to provide relief to area residents suffering from COVID-19. Operating and staffing costs will now be split 50/50 between the City of Ferris and Ellis County.
The therapy center offers Regeneron antibody infusions to those suffering from COVID-19.
According to Brooks Williams, the City Manager of Ferris, these infusions have demonstrated that they reduce the risk of hospitalization in about 70% of people who developed severe cases of COVID. More notably, some estimates indicate that infusions potentially save the lives of 10% of the patients who receive them. The infusion process takes about 1 hour, and after receiving an infusion, patients are normally symptom-free within 48 hours. As of Wednesday, September 22nd, the infusion center had treated at least 375 patients.
Regeneron Emergency Use Authorization
In the past, Regeneron infusions were administered through a drip I.V. Now, patients can receive antibodies through a series of smaller injections, making the process much more pleasant for the patient. The FDA has authorized the Regeneron antibody treatment process under the same emergency use guidelines as COVID-19 vaccinations. Please note, it is not intended to be a preventative substitute for vaccination. Only individuals who are currently infected with COVID-19 are eligible to receive antibody infusions. Free COVID testing is available at the therapy center for those suffering symptoms and wishing to receive treatment.
“I can personally attest to the effectiveness of antibody infusion,” said County Judge Todd Little. “My wife and I both recently contracted COVID, and I tell you – it was far worse than the flu. I suffered severe symptoms for about six days, but within one day of receiving the antibody infusions, I was feeling better. Many of my colleagues have also had the same positive experience with the infusions. I believe wholeheartedly that this is a treatment option that can help save lives.”
Reducing Patients Requiring Hospitalization
“Since antibody infusion is able to keep about 70% of patients out of the hospital, this therapy center could help us dramatically reduce our ICU bed count,” the Judge continued.
“We want to help out our hospitals and healthcare professionals as much as possible by keeping COVID patients out of the hospital, and we want our citizens to have access to all viable treatment options. This therapy center has the potential to become a turning point for our community as we navigate through this wave of the pandemic.”
The antibody therapy center is located at the Ferris Scout House at 514 Mable Street, Ferris, TX 75125. It is open Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through November 15th. It is staffed by nurses from MDLab, a Rockwall-based mobile healthcare workforce that specializes in immunization and therapeutics. Anyone who has been diagnosed with or has exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 within the last 10 days may sign up to receive treatment at mdlabtx.com. Walk-ins are also welcome, but preference will be given to Ellis County residents if slots are limited. Prescriptions and medical insurance are not required.