Outpatient COVID Therapy
How to request COVID-19 therapy for prevention or treatment of an active COVID-19 infection?
Patients must be screened to ensure they meet the state defined eligibility criteria in order to receive treatment or oral antivirals. These therapies are only given with a prescription or order after a patient is determined to be eligible for therapy.
These therapies may not be appropriate for all patients, for example the medication Paxlovid may not be an appropriate for all patients due to interactions with medications the patient is taking for other reasons (for example patients who have received an organ transplant are not eligible for this therapy).
Please do not go to the emergency department or pharmacy to request monoclonal antibody treatment or oral antivirals. Instead work with your primary care physician or provider to request a referral for treatment.
Are there Covid therapies available for Covid-19 infection prevention?
Yes, there is currently one medication available for Covid-19 prevention/prophylaxis.
Confluence Health is now offering Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with
cilgavimab) for COVID-19 prophylaxis. Evusheld is an injectable monoclonal
antibody administered intramuscular for one dose, with a potential repeat
dose in six months. Evusheld is indicated for patients who have moderate
to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition or receipt of immunosuppressive
medications or treatments and may not mount an adequate immune response
to COVID-19 vaccination. Evusheld is also available for those when a COVID-19
vaccine is not recommended due to a history of severe adverse reaction
to a COVID-19 vaccine and/or COVID-19 vaccine components. Evusheld is
not intended to be a replacement for a COVID-19 vaccine. The criteria
for the immune compromised are listed here:
Evusheld Prioritization Tiers
To receive Evusheld at Confluence Health, you must be established with a Confluence Health Provider. Please discuss with your Provider and inquire for eligibility and a referral for administration.
What outpatient Covid therapies are available?
There are currently 4 available therapies for outpatient Covid treatment,
2 of these are given orally and 2 is given via an intravenous (IV) infusion.
What is the name of the Covid therapies Confluence Health is using?
These medicines have names that are hard to pronounce. If you would like
to look into them online, here are the therapies that CH has access to:
Paxlovid® (Nirmatelivir/ritonovir), Lagevrio® (Molnupiravir),
Xevudy® (Sotrovimab) and Bebtelovimab.
Who can receive outpatient Covid therapy treatment?
You Must:
- Be 12 years of age or older
- Weigh over 88 lbs (40 kg)
- Test positive for COVID
- Have symptoms, but not be sick enough to be in hospital
You should also have one or more of the following:
- Age 65 years or older
- Obese or quite overweight
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- Immunosuppressive disease or on immunosuppressive treatment (cancer treatment, HIV, rheumatic diseases)
- Heart disease (including congenital heart disease)
- High blood pressure
- Chronic lung problems such as COPD, moderate to severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, or pulmonary hypertension
- Sickle cell disease
- Neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy or Down’s Syndrome
- Medical-related technological dependence (tracheostomy, gastrostomy, or ventilation not related to COVID)
- At risk for severe COVID-19
Why would I consider receiving an outpatient Covid therapy?
These treatments are effective at preventing severe COVID. They decrease
the risk of needing to be hospitalized or dying by up to 70%. You can
receive them whether or not you have been vaccinated against COVID.
Is there a cost to receive these treatment?
These medications are paid for by the government, however, there are costs
for the administration. CH will bill insurance for those costs, so depending
on your insurance there may be some cost to you for these therapies.
Where I can find this treatment near me?
Patients must be screened to ensure they meet the defined eligibility criteria
in order to receive treatment or oral antivirals. These therapies are
only given with a prescription or order after a patient is determined
to be eligible for therapy.
These therapies may not be appropriate for all patients, for example the medication Paxlovid may not be appropriate for all patients due to interactions with medications the patient is taking for other reasons (for example patients who have received an organ transplant are not eligible for this therapy).
Please do not go to the emergency department or pharmacy to request monoclonal antibody treatment or oral antivirals. Instead work with your Primary Care Physician or Provider to request a referral for treatment.
We are using the Washington Department of Health (WA DOH) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommendations to guide our therapy approach.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TherapeuticTreatmentLocations