Regeneron

PITTSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — As scientists are wondering if an effective treatment for COVID will work on the new omicron variant, UPMC is talking about new research that could treat infected patients more efficiently.

UPMC performed the first and largest clinical trial in the world to compare different methods of administering monoclonal antibodies.

“What we found is that subcutaneous injections of Regeneron’s COVID-19 treatment worked essentially as effective as the IV at keeping our patients alive and out of the hospital,” said Dr. Erin McCreary, infectious diseases pharmacist at UPMC and clinical assistant professor in Pitt’s School of Medicine.

McCreary says a shot instead of an infusion of the same dose will allow hospitals to treat twice as many patients.

https://www.abc27.com/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-pennsylvania/upmc-to-study-omicron-variant-announces-new-research-guiding-covid-19-treatment/

Monoclonal antibodies/Regeneron

There is still a lot to learn about the latest COVID-19 variant Omicron, UPMC doctors said during a virtual news conference Thursday.

The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is the latest strain of the coronavirus to be designated a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization as more and more countries are reporting cases.

Dr. Graham Snyder, UPMC medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology, said there is still a lot to learn about the Omicron variant, but people still need to follow the same COVID-19 safety guidelines of masking when indoors around others, social distancing and being vaccinated.

“Omicron — like Delta before it — will not change what we need to do to stay safe,” he said.

Snyder said medical professionals in South Africa and other parts of the world have done a quality job of disseminating information about Omicron. He said it’s promising to hear the symptoms from Omicron seem to be less severe, but it’s concerning to hear how quickly it spreads. He added that COVID-19 and its variants aren’t going away and will be something people will be discussing for years.

“It’s not surprising to see the emergence of another variant,” he said. “We will talk about (COVID-19 and its variants) for years. (We should) plan for the foreseeable future, years to be dealing with COVID.”

https://www.post-journal.com/news/page-one/2021/12/upmc-several-unknowns-with-omicron-covid-19-variant/

>>15130343

I think you’re right. The ladies on the view refused to get it & then changed their minds after Biden supported it. If Trump had won & kept supporting the vaccines then none of the celebrities would have supported it.

PHILADELPHIA — A new variant of COVID-19 that first emerged in South Africa was detected in Pennsylvania.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced that a Philadelphia resident has tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

This person is a man in his 30′s from Northwest Philadelphia.

The Heath Department is working to get more information on the case.

Those variations, or mutations, are concerning to scientists who believe the omicron variant could be more easily transmitted.

So far, symptoms reported are fatigue, body aches, a sore throat and cough.

Doctors are working to learn more about it, including how the current COVID-19 vaccine responds to it.

According to Infectious Disease Physician, Dr. Amesh Adalja, it’s only a matter of time until there’s a positive Omicron case in Pittsburgh.

“We have community spread of this variant in a neighboring state. It’s not surprising to expect a case in Pennsylvania, or even in Western Pennsylvania anytime soon,” Dr. Adalja said.

Friday afternoon, the first Omicron case in Pennsylvania was detected in Philadelphia. A man in his 30′s tested positive for the variant.

Dr. Adalja told Channel 11, we need to expect it in Pittsburgh too.

“There’s no difference of a variant popping up in Pittsburgh than there was popping up in San Francisco, or in Minnesota, or Nebraska. It’s just something that’s going to happen, and it’s inevitable,” Dr. Adalja added.

In the last 24 hours, 1,300 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Allegheny County. It’s a spike that local doctors predicted.

“Everybody in my field really anticipated that we would see an increase in cases post Thanksgiving. People got together, and it wasn’t something they could do outdoors,” he said.

https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/omicron-variant-covid-19-detected-pennsylvania/6QAQZLWG75H3VIDOHRC67MCX3Q/