A drug that protects against corona by 77% .. but there are not enough quantities of it | health

Video duration 02 minutes 26 seconds 02:26

A clinical trial showed that the drug “Evusheld” reduces the risk of infection with Covid-19 by 77%, but the problem is that its use is still very limited and the available quantities are few, and it cannot be given after infection with the virus.

In a report published by the American magazine “Newsweek”, writer Jenny Fink says that the Food and Drug Administration in the United States approved the use of “EvoShield” earlier last December, in the hope of reducing the impact of Covid-19 on people most vulnerable. at risk.

Evoshield is an injectable monoclonal antibody treatment similar to REGN-COV2 from Regeneron and is administered proactively to help boost the immune response in susceptible groups. at risk, and helps protect it for up to 6 months.

“EvoShield” is given in two doses by injection, but it does not replace the vaccination, as experts confirm, as it is still believed that vaccines are best to reduce the risk of hospitalization due to Covid-19.

Currently, Evoshield is only available in the United States for people over 12 years of age who have moderate or severe immunodeficiency due to a medical condition or medication, meaning their bodies cannot develop an adequate immune response after being vaccinated against COVID-19, and therefore increase The chances of them contracting severe forms of infection or death in some cases.

Evoshield is also given to people who have not received the vaccine because of potential health risks according to their medical records, such as allergic reactions.

Limited Quantities

In turn, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised the drug Evoshield, considering it a new method that the United States can use to protect the most vulnerable population.

De Santis announced on December 17 that Florida had received 3,100 doses of this treatment, enough to protect nearly 1,600 people in the state.

On the other hand, Tennessee has received about 1,000 doses of Evoshield, and Dr. Robert Carnahan of Vanderbilt University Medical Center hopes to increase supplies so that the treatment becomes accessible to everyone who needs it.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told Newsweek that the federal government has only received doses of the drug to treat 700,000 people, while about 7 million people in the United States have weak immunity.

Dr. Camille Cotton, an infectious disease expert at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the hospital was waiting to get enough to treat only 1% of immunocompromised patients.

“I’m very concerned about people who are immunocompromised,” Cotton told CNN. “I’m disappointed that we can’t get more, and I hope we get more soon so we can prevent as many infections as possible.” and deaths among this category.

It is not a substitute for vaccines

It was very exciting, says Caroline Davis, who is the first person to receive treatment at Vanderbilt University and is undergoing treatment for cancer, considering that Evoshield gives her some confidence to get out after she had to stay at home for the past year.

And unlike corona vaccines – which help the body develop antibodies to fight the virus – Evoshield delivers antibodies directly to the body through injections, which helps protect those most at risk.

Those who are undergoing cancer treatments, have recently had organ transplants, or have advanced infection with HIV are among the categories that may be eligible for Evoshield treatment.

The treatment cannot be given to anyone who received the COVID-19 vaccine less than two weeks ago or has been in contact with a person infected with COVID-19, nor is it given to a patient after infection.