The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) and El Centro Regional Medical Center are now able to administer monoclonal antibody therapeutic treatments in the Valley.

A temporary COVID-19 infusion center will treat certain COVID-19 patients. The center will treat patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of severe illness or hospitalism. Patients at the infusion center will receive one of two monoclonal antibody therapeutics authorized by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Robert Kadlec , HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response , " At this infusion center , a federal medical team will be on hand to provide therapeutic treatments that can keep people from becoming so sick that they need to be hospitalized , which will help reduce the stress on the hospital , particularly the ICU , and save lives. El Centro Regional CEO Dr. Adoolphe Edward said , " In our fight against COVID , adding a tool in our toolbox we call therapies to include the infusion center is going to be a win-win for this community. We are finally going to be able to actually treat patients at an early stage that might have COVID , and now , we can actually see that besides vaccines and therapeutics , we are going to win this battle. 

The medicines are administered through an intravenous infusion treatment. The infusion and medical observation together will take about two-and-a-half hours. Adults and pediatric patients who are COVID-19 positive and at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 and / or hospitalization can be treated as long as they meet at least one of several criteria. The monoclonal antibody treatments have been shown to decrease hospitalization rates in people at highest risk for severe disease from COVID-19.