When employees get sick, it affects businesses. Extended illnesses can decrease productivity while increasing stress for other employees who take up the slack.

An employee who gets sick with COVID-19 typically will be out of work longer because of the isolation duration. An employee who tests positive for COVID-19 will usually need to isolate for at least 10 days — and that’s if they feel better quickly. If symptoms persist or a more severe illness develops, COVID-19 positive employees could be out for much longer and require medical attention. 

 The best way to reduce the severity of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. When fully vaccinated individuals get COVID-19, the likelihood of hospitalization is greatly reduced. Of the total breakthrough cases in Mesa County — those in which individuals were fully vaccinated — less than
1 percent were hospitalized, according to Mesa County Public Health.

Those at higher risk of developing severe illness now have another treatment option — monoclonal antibody therapy.

 Antibodies are proteins in our immune system that recognize and defend against harmful viruses and bacteria. Monoclonal antibodies are made in a laboratory and designed to target a specific bacteria or virus — like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These treatments can greatly reduce the chance of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for the treatments.

Mesa County Public Health will join with Family Health West to open a monoclonal antibody therapy treatment clinic in Fruita this month. Treatments will be available by appointment at the clinic, located in the Kokopelli Shopping Center at  401 Kokopelli Blvd.

Treatments are available to people who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and experience mild to moderate symptoms or have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and are at high risk of developing severe illness. There’s no cost for the treatment. A doctor’s referral isn’t required.

Monoclonal antibodies act as a substitute for the natural antibodies your body produces after being vaccinated or exposed to COVID-19 and recovering. At the MCPH clinic, monoclonal antibodies will be administered through four injections under the skin. The injections are given during the same appointment. Patients can plan on about 15 minutes for the injections followed by an hour of monitoring.

The treatment also is available to those who’ve come in close contact with someone who’s tested positive for COVID-19, are at high risk of developing severe illness and who aren’t fully vaccinated or expected to adequately respond to COVID-19 vaccination. Those with immunocompromising conditions, for example.

This treatment is meant to be taken within 10 days of experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Patients using supplemental oxygen for COVID-19 don’t qualify.

For more information, including clinic hours and appointment scheduling, visit https://health.mesacounty.us/covidtreatment.