New Treatments Start To Arise For COVID-19

As we wrap up 2021, and COVID cases are surging once again, doctors said they have a lot more ways to fight the virus.

"We're in a very different place now than we were a year ago because we have new tools we can use potentially to treat an outpatient," said Dr. Dale Bratzler.

OU's Chief COVID Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler said vaccines are still doing a good job of keeping people out of the hospital and dying from the virus, with the state's latest epidemiology report finding that more than 90 percent of people hospitalized for COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

But other new drugs are being used to help as well.

"There are four different monoclonal antibodies or combination antibodies that are on the market now," said Bratzler.

Bratzler says monoclonal antibodies are typically reserved for people not fully vaccinated and at high risk of complications from the disease.

They also must be given as soon as possible within 10 days of symptom onset.

A couple of them are also used in people who are unable to get a vaccine because they are severely immuno-compromised.

"I personally know solid organ transplant patients who have had 4 doses of the vaccine and still don't have any antibodies that can be detected,” said Bratzler. “That's the person that will be a good candidate for this new monoclonal antibody."

Studies have shown though that some of the antibody treatments are not effective against the Omicron variant, which Bratzler said makes it hard since they can't always tell which variant people have.

Other drugs doctors may soon start using for outpatients are convalescent plasma and Remdesivir.

And Bratzler said there's also two new oral, antiviral medications like Paxlovid that are newly approved.

"You take it with another HIV drug called Ritonavir, three tablets, twice a day, five days of the onset of symptoms, 89 percent effective," said Bratzler.

Paxlovid, developed by Pfizer, is not in Oklahoma yet.

Bratzler hopes to get it soon though.