Marie is one of the 2,000+ clinically vulnerable people across West Yorkshire who have been assessed for the new COVID treatments since mid-December 2021. These safe and effective treatments are received by people at an outpatient unit or in their own homes to reduce the chance of hospital admission.
Across England, the NHS has set up new services that will assess patients at the highest risk from COVID and where appropriate, offer them treatment, either with a new antibody infusion or a course of antiviral tablets. These treatments aim to reduce their chance of needing hospital care.
Treatments involve intravenous infusion of a neutralising monoclonal antibodies (nMABs) or an oral antiviral treatment, which are given to high-risk patients, aged 12 and over. This includes people who have HIV /AIDS, liver disease, sickle cell disease, those receiving cancer treatments or taking medicines that suppress their immune system.
Since mid-December, more than 2,000 clinically vulnerable people across West Yorkshire (Bradford District and Craven; Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield) have been assessed for the new treatments with people receiving it at an outpatient unit or in their home (accurate 14 February 2022).
People at the highest risk from COVID will receive a letter from NHS England advising them that, should they test positive for COVID, they will be contacted and assessed for suitability for one of the new treatments available. If no contact is made, eligible patients can contact their GP or ring 111 to access the service.
One such patient is 51-year-old Marie Dunleavy-Winter who is receiving treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune condition. The treatment consists of intravenous infusions of drugs known as biological therapy drugs to manage her symptoms.
When Marie tested positive for COVID on 8 January 2022, she received a text message the same day to tell her that she may be eligible for one of the new COVID treatments, a course of antiviral tablets or an antibody infusion. These treatments need to be given within five days of a positive PCR test so once it was determined that Marie was eligible for treatment, she was booked in to attend the CMDU at St James' University Hospital in Leeds on 11 January.
At the CMDU, Marie was advised that the oral antiviral treatment would be the best option for her, and the tablets were dispensed there and then by the hospital.
Marie said: “I don’t know how I would’ve been if I hadn’t had the treatment after testing positive for the virus. I was relieved to be contacted and offered treatment that could help keep me out of hospital and I felt very reassured by the pharmacist and consultant who explained what was available and how it might help.”
Information about who is eligible for the new COVID-19 treatments and full details about the treatments is available on the
NHS.UK website.