The OHSU COVID-19 Treatment Clinic is located in the OHSU Center for Health and Healing building 1. OHSU is currently the only hospital in Oregon that offers remdesivir on an outpatient basis. Currently, he has three of his COVID-19 treatments available in the United States. Treatment as soon as symptoms begin can help prevent COVID-19 from becoming severe. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)
Josie Gold wanted to do everything possible to avoid becoming seriously ill after contracting COVID-19 in late February.
But after a virtual meeting with a doctor at Oregon Health and Science University, Gold learned that her only treatment was remdesivir. So, for three mornings in a row, she visited OHSU’s COVID-19 treatment clinic in Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood to receive an injection of antiviral medication.
Josie Gold (courtesy)
Gold, 47, of Portland said: “However, the next day I felt less fatigued, my muscles were much less sore, and I could breathe easier. Slowly and steadily, I am grateful to have had the treatment.” “
OHSU is the only hospital in Oregon to offer non-hospitalized patients remdesivir to prevent the onset of severe and potentially life-threatening COVID-19.
Remdesivir, also known by the brand name Veklury, is an antiviral drug that blocks the production of the virus that causes COVID-19. This his COVID-19 treatment is FDA-approved for both hospitalized and hospitalized patients, but the closest hospitals currently serving non-hospitalized patients are in northern Idaho and California. Located in Sacramento.
Patients with mild or moderate symptoms receive remdesivir through three daily intravenous infusions given in a hospital over several hours. As the health system continues to be understaffed and the number of COVID-19 cases is declining, fewer hospitals are offering remdesivir infusions.
“Today we are in a much better place, but the pandemic is not over and sick patients still need help.” Young Yoon “YY” Ham, Pharm.D.Infectious disease pharmacist supporting the OHSU COVID-19 treatment clinic. “It is especially important for people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 to seek treatment within days of becoming ill. Remdesivir is most effective when given early, when symptoms are still mild. Because of this, we want you to know that we are still here to help and reach out to people in Oregon as soon as they are sick.
People at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 include those over the age of 50. have certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity; or take drugs that weaken the immune system, such as drugs for organ transplant patients or biologics used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema. take. Most patients can be treated with oral drugs, but for those who cannot, remdesivir may be the only effective option.
Three drugs are currently approved or licensed in the United States to treat COVID-19. Infusion Remdesivir; Another oral drug, molnupiravir, is also known by the trade name Lagevrio. Paxlovid is the first treatment usually recommended to prevent the severity of COVID-19. However, some patients with severe kidney or liver disease may not be able to take paxlobid, or use it because it interacts with other medications. A good option is remdesivir. The NIH recommends a third option, her molnupiravir, when her first two options are unavailable.
All three treatments work best when used as soon as symptoms begin. Experts recommend that he start taking paxlovid and molnupiravir within 5 days after symptoms first appear, while remdesivir infusions should be started within 7 days.
About three weeks after receiving remdesivir, Gold said she had not had as severe a respiratory infection as her husband. He contracted her COVID-19 a few days before her, but was unable to get treatment before the required schedule. Despite a lingering cough and some exhaustion, Gold is able to return to her job and she is once again taking care of local pets as a veterinarian.
“I am very happy to have this treatment,” Gold said. “I have been lucky in many ways. I am vaccinated, I know that the severity of COVID-19 will be reduced, and I live where this treatment is available. We want people in the world to know that this is a good option for them too.
Osu COVID-19 Treatment Clinic:
The OHSU COVID-19 Treatment Clinic is offering Remdesivir Monday through Friday. Reservations are required. Patients receive an antiviral drip in a private room with the support of an OHSU nurse. Each appointment lasts approximately 3 hours. This includes both the administration of the IV and a waiting period to ensure that the patient is responding well.
To book an appointment at a COVID treatment clinic, patients must first visit an OHSU emergency care provider who can determine which treatment option is best for them. Virtual emergency care can be booked online, while telephone and in-person emergency care can be booked by him by calling 503-494-1700.