Muscogee Nation to Start Offering 'Critical' COVID Antibody Treatments

The Oklahoma State Health Department reported more than 4,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. That is twice as many as the day before. 

The state announced Thursday it will partner with the Muscogee Nation, which will start offering a COVID treatment that could help keep people out of the hospital. The treatment will soon be available at the newly opened Council Oak Comprehensive Healthcare facility near 81st and Highway 169. That is at the former Cancer Treatment Centers of America building. 

The state's chief medical officer said monoclonal antibody treatments are "critical" to lessen the burden on hospitals right now. 

The treatment is not for everyone and is under an emergency use authorization by the FDA. Doctors said the antibody treatment is only for high-risk patients who have COVID, are not in the hospital, and in their first 10 days of symptoms. 

Muscogee Nation Secretary of Health Shawn Terry expects the treatments will start the week of September 13th, with only about 20-30 infusions for the first few days. He said the goal is to eventually add more staff and expand to as many as 400 infusions a week. 

"We've really been focusing this last few months on pushing the vaccine, and now with our hospitals all at critical levels of being full of patients, we have got to find ways to get this type of care out there to everyone,” Terry said. 

The Muscogee Nation said its doors are open to everyone, not just tribal members. 

Terry said a phone number should be released to the public early next week, so people can start making appointments for the antibody treatment. 

There are several other places in Tulsa to get this treatment, too.