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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2021)
Wednesday, September 1, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 9 Sisters woman experienced new COVID-19 therapy When Marilyn Cornelius woke up with heavy sinus congestion last month, she wasn9t too concerned. Sisters had been extremely smoky, and this was a common response for her. But then another symptom reared its ugly head: <As the day progressed, the sudden and severe loss of taste and smell triggered me to go get tested,= she recalled. St. Charles Health System had just set up a drive-through testing site, and Cornelius waited for an hour in her car, with hundreds of others, to find out whether the delta variant had caught her. It had. Hours later, her test result posted on St. Charles9 My Chart indicating that she was COVID-positive. She qualifies as a <breakthrough= case 4 a person who gets COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated. <I was fully vaccinated by February, which gives credit to the belief of the vaccine waning,= she said. Cornelius returned home to isolate in her room and to weather the coming storm. She started looking into the best means to beat back symptoms and recover as quickly as possible. Posted on her chart was a key to facing down the delta variant: mono- clonal antibody therapy. St. Charles Health System had just begun offering a treatment to help people with mild to moderate COVID- 19 fight off the disease and 4 hopefully 4 avoid hospitalization. <I would not have known about that if Dr. Carey Allen had not put it on my chart,= Cornelius said. <I started researching that, and got hold of my primary care doctor immediately.= The treatment uses mono- clonal antibodies to mimic the immune system9s natural antibodies, which fight back against harmful antigens such as viruses. The body takes time to produce natural antibodies; monoclonal anti- body therapy allows a sick person to fight the virus ear- lier, which may prevent them from getting sicker and need- ing to be hospitalized. Currently, monoclonal antibody therapy is only available to people who are at high risk of becoming severely ill from COVID- 19, and they cannot self-refer themselves for the treatment. A physician must make the referral. Cornelius qualified for the treatment because she had mild to moderate symptoms and an underlying autoim- mune disorder that put her at risk of developing more severe symptoms. Her doctor agreed immediately that the treatment was an appropriate option and got her into the process to get scheduled for treatment. She said she had <one bad night= between diagnosis and treatment, with aches, shortness of breath, and a high heart rate as her body engaged in the battle with the virus. The experience made her acutely aware of one of the most alarming aspects of COVID-19: A person with mild to moderate symptoms can take a sudden and danger- ous turn for the worse. <That9s what9s so scary about it,= Cornelius said. <You do not know. You can think 8I9ve got this beat,9 and you go around the corner and get hit upside the head and end up in the ER, intubated.= Knowing that the vac- cine offered some protection against development of severe symptoms was reassuring. <I knew I was going to be OK, because I9d been vacci- nated, and I knew this treat- ment was on the horizon for me,= she said. Treatment is ideally administered within three days of a positive COVID- 19 test or within 10 days of symptom onset. It9s a bit of a process to make it happen, and the pro- cedure itself takes some time. <I was there at 5 o9clock, and I got in my car at a quar- ter to 8,= Cornelius recalled. <I felt pretty wiped out that night.= The potential benefits of the treatment are well worth navigating the logistical challenges, said Dr. Cynthia Maree, St. Charles9 medical director of infectious disease. <Right now, this is the only medication we have that is approved under Emergency Use Authorization to be used for outpatient management of COVID-19,= she said. <It has the possibility of keeping people with COVID-19 from developing severe disease or from dying. Obviously, that9s something we want to be able to provide to the community.= More than 150 patients “Your Local Welding Shop” CCB# 87640 ...than mass-produced, powder-coated or painted cast iron or fabricated steel. All our products are finished with a natural patina – age-old wax and oil finishes. Order takeout online. Reservations recommended. 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And, she says, those who test positive should at least look into the treatment 4 don9t simply assume you won9t qualify. <Go to your primary and say, 8Can I get the monoclo- nal antibody treatment?9= Editor9s note: Marilyn Cornelius is the wife of Nugget Editor in Chief Jim Cornelius. The look and feel of true hand-forged ironwork is different... SCHEDULE YOUR FENCING PROJECTS NOW! Distinctive Fresh Menu, Brunch Served Th urs-Sun, Specializing In Gluten-Free Live Music & Events at have received Monoclonal Antibody Therapy as of press time. Cornelius can attest to the treatment9s effectiveness. She reported that her congestion symptoms cleared within two days of treatment, and even the loss of taste and smell 4 which can linger for weeks 4 has abated. <I would say 50 percent within three days of the treat- ment; 70 percent within a week,= she said. 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