Infectious Disease Specialist with Mayo Clinic disucsses different treatments for COVID-19

Different treatments for the COVID-19 virus are being researched and utilized each day, including the new antiviral pills for the treatment of COVID, as well as existing therapies such as monoclonal antibodies and other existing and emerging therapeutics.  Dr. Andrew Badley, an infectious disease specialist with Mayo Clinic spoke with KAUS News during a press briefing and talked about how well current COVID treatments will work against the omicron variant…

Badley went on to state that he thinks it’s probable that some of the vaccine induced protection or some of the monoclonal antibodies for COVID may have slightly reduced activity against the omicron variant, but the added that it would be incorrect to say they will have no effect against the variant…

The first oral antiviral medication to treat COVID-19 is one step closer as a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has voted to recommend emergency use authorization for molnupiravir. The drug treats mild to moderate COVID-19 infection in adults at risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 infection or hospitalization.  In an observational study, Mayo Clinic researchers also report that the combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, two monoclonal antibody treatments under Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization keep high-risk patients out of the hospital when infected with mild to moderate COVID-19.