To help reduce hospitalization rates, Lane Regional Medical Center has expanded its Infusion Center to administer monoclonal antibodies to COVID-19 patients who meet treatment criteria.
Located on the 3rd floor of the Lane Medical Plaza and Outpatient Diagnostic Center, at 6550 Main Street in Zachary, the Regeneron Infusion Center is open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., seven days a week, and can accommodate administer up to 90 infusions per day. Treatments take between 30 to 50 minutes and require observation of up to an hour afterwards.
Staffing is comprised of Lane team members and additional nursing and medical staff provided by the Louisiana Department of Health.
In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization allowing monoclonal antibodies as a treatment option for COVID-19. The FDA authorized several different monoclonal antibodies, including Regeneron which is currently being administered at Lane Infusion Center.
A physician referral is required to receive the Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment at Lane Infusion Center. To be eligible, patients must test positive for COVID-19, have symptoms for 10 days or less, and meet one of the following criteria:
- 65 years old or older
- Have a BMI of more than 25 kg/m2
- Currently pregnant
- Have a medical condition, including:
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cardiovascular disease (including congenital heart disease or hypertension)
- Diabetes
- Down syndrome
- Dementia
- Liver disease
- Chronic lung disease
- Sickle cell disease
- Immunosuppressive disease or receiving immunosuppressive treatment
- Current, or former, smoker
- History of stroke or cerebrovascular disease
- Current, or history of, substance abuse
- Neurodevelopmental disorders or other conditions that confer medical complexity
- Have a medical-related technological dependence (including tracheostomy or gastrostomy)
“The Regeneron infusion treatment is time-sensitive,” says Jason Gwyn, director of Lane Infusion Center. “To get the best results, patients 18 and older should get a physician referral to receive the treatment as soon as possible after testing positive for COVID-19.”
Monoclonal antibodies like Regeneron have proven to be an effective treatment for COVID-19 because once administered, they look for and attach themselves to the spike proteins on the coronavirus that cause COVID-19. Once attached to the spike proteins, these monoclonal antibodies can block the virus’ ability to enter healthy cells, thereby slowing the spread of infection.
For more information, please call Lane Infusion Center at 658-4025.
PHOTO 1 :
Kathleen Parnell, a registered nurse in Lane’s Infusion Center, administers the Regeneron infusion treatment to Clinton resident Mark Worsham, age 45, who tested positive for COVID-19 the day before at FastLane Urgent Care. Mark came in complaining of a headache, body aches, sore throat, and fever. “Within 12 hours after receiving the Regeneron infusion treatment, my fever was gone and I felt much better,” he said. “It definitely helped, and I recommend it to anyone.”
PHOTO 2:
Experienced medical staff provided by the state have completed their orientation at Lane and are now seeing patients in the Lane Regeneron Infusion Center.
