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COVID-19 IN 2021

MysteMArNiAoGINuGsA Virus

While there is still much to learn about COVID-19, treatment options offer hope for the future.

SINCE COVID-19 BECAME part of our lives in early THE POWER OF
2020, researchers and clinicians have learned important PREVENTION
information about the virus, including how to reduce risk
and manage the condition. However, the quest is ongoing for As research teams continue to search for effective options
dependable treatments to target the disease. to treat COVID-19, risk reduction is the most powerful tool
available to individuals and families.
“Therapeutics are still quite limited, and currently
remdesivir is the only one that has been approved,” says “We encourage everyone to practice social distancing,
Jeffrey Stephens, MD, Medical Director of Infection masking and good hygiene habits to minimize the chance of
Prevention at Atrium Health Navicent. “However, we have contracting COVID-19,” says Jeffrey Stephens, MD, Medical
multiple therapeutics in trials. Over the medium to longer Director of Infection Prevention at Atrium Health Navicent.
term, we will have more data on which ones to use.” “These habits are critical during this pandemic.”

EXPLORING SOLUTIONS Additionally, if you suspect you have a case of COVID-19,
consider being tested at Atrium Health Navicent. If you do
Convalescent plasma is one of the options that may prove test positive, you will need to quarantine to protect those
effective to help fight COVID-19 in the future. Currently, around you. Also, our healthcare team can administer medical
researchers and clinicians are exploring how plasma from care as necessary.
individuals who have had COVID-19 may be administered to
other patients to help them overcome the illness. But there
are still several kinks to address, according to Dr. Stephens.

“By the time someone comes to the hospital with
COVID-19, it may be too late in the process to administer
plasma,” Dr. Stephens says. “Also, we need matching blood
types and robust availability of the plasma, which we do not
currently have.”

Other options that are being explored include cytokines,
which are proteins that may help reduce inflammation
in people infected with COVID-19. Another option uses
monoclonal antibodies (MABs), which are laboratory-made
proteins that mimic the body’s immune system. These MABs
may prevent COVID-19 from attaching to and entering
human cells.

“There are hundreds of thousands of trials being
conducted around the world,” Dr. Stephens says. “Hopefully,
we will have reliable drugs soon to effectively treat
COVID-19.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COVID-19 RESOURCES
AVAILABLE AT ATRIUM HEALTH NAVICENT,
VISIT WWW.NAVICENTHEALTH.ORG/
COVID-19-RESOURCES.HTML.

9SPRING 2021 | navicenthealth.org