Vaccine best weapon available to fight COVID, doctors stress
During a Tuesday discussion hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, doctors stressed one message: Get the COVID-19 vaccination.
“We’d reiterate 100 times, vaccination is still our main key,” said Dr. Ryan Bariola, an infectious disease specialist at UPMC. “You don’t want to get sick if you can avoid it.”
Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson, along with Bariola and Philadelphia infectious disease specialist Dr. Pablo Tebas, answered questions regarding COVID-19 treatment options available for those who contract the virus.
Currently, the best weapons against COVID-19, the virus that has claimed the lives of 825,106 Americans – including 36,799 people in Pennsylvania – are the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccinations, in conjunction with booster shots.
Additionally, Bariola and Tebas said, monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals are also medications currently available for people who end up contracting COVID-19.
However, two of the three monoclonal antibody treatments have proven to be less effective against the now-dominant omicron variant, and one treatment that has remained effective against the new strain – sotrovimab – is in short supply.
To this point, monoclonal antibody treatments have been an effective remedy to the symptoms of COVID-19. But, Tebas pointed out, the omicron variant has become resistant to some of those treatments.
Given those updates – some COVID-19 resistance to treatments, along with short supplies – the most important thing to do now is get both vaccine doses plus a booster, doctors said.
Tebas encouraged people to discuss COVID treatments with their primary care physician.
While the omicron variant is a game changer, Tebas said treatments for COVID-positive patients are encouraging.
“Omicron is changing things a bit, but if you get COVID, monoclonal antibodies and oral treatments do work in preventing complications. It’s better to be vaccinated, though,” said Tebas. “Get vaccinated, get your booster, you’re much less likely to have complications, or get admitted to a hospital or to die if you get COVID.”