GREELEY, Colo. (Dec. 7, 2021) – Banner Health has increased access to monoclonal antibody treatment in Northern Colorado for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms.
Casirivimab/indevimab from Regeneron is a monoclonal antibody combination that is infused directly into a vein. These antibodies are protective proteins that may help the body clear the virus faster and reduce symptoms when given soon after diagnosis.
The Outpatient Infusion Center at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley coordinates these treatments based on a referral from your regular healthcare provider or an urgent care provider. They will schedule you for treatment at a Banner location in Greeley, Loveland or Fort Collins. Your provider will send a referral to the Outpatient Infusion Center, and someone from the Outpatient Infusion Center will contact you to review your order and schedule your infusion appointment at a location in Greeley, Loveland or Fort Collins.
Patients who think they meet the criteria should contact their primary doctor or schedule an appointment with a Banner Urgent Care telehealth provider.
To qualify to receive this treatment, you must be at least 18 years old and have mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms that began less than 10 days ago. You also must be at high risk for developing severe symptoms or requiring hospitalization.
The FDA recently expanded its list of risk factors, and you’re considered high risk if you are over the age of 65, pregnant or if you have one of the following conditions:
- Obesity (for example, body mass index or BMI above 25)
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Immunosuppressive disease, or you’re receiving immunosuppressive treatment
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hypertension
- Chronic lung disease such as COPD or cystic fibrosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Neurodevelopmental disorders or other medically complex conditions such as genetic conditions or metabolic syndrome
- Medical-related technology dependence such as a feeding tube
- Pregnancy
- Other medical conditions or factors, such as race or ethnicity, can also put you at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 infection. Your doctor can review your health history and risk factors and consider whether you qualify for the treatment.
Individuals would not be eligible for this treatment if they are:
- Hospitalized for COVID-19
- Requiring oxygen therapy due to COVID-19
- Requiring an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID-19 in those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19 related comorbidity
- Allergic to any of the ingredients in the medication
If you develop symptoms of COVID, seek care quickly. This will help your healthcare provider evaluate if you are a candidate for monoclonal antibody treatment.
You can also schedule an appointment with Banner Urgent Care to be tested for COVID-19 and be evaluated for this treatment.
On the day of your monoclonal antibody treatment, after you check in, you will have an intravenous catheter (IV) placed for medication infusion. Your provider will monitor your vital signs during your treatment.
The full treatment appointment will last between 3.5 and 4 hours. Please know that during this time you will need to stay in the infusion suite and will not be able to walk around the building.
About Banner Health
Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns and operates 30 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services; including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com.
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