PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If you get COVID-19 and you have underlying health conditions, it can still be a deadly virus without treatment.
Oregon Health and Science University is running a remdesivir clinic for patients on an outpatient basis, making it the only Oregon hospital to do so.
Remdesivir is one of three drugs approved or authorized in the U.S. to treat COVID-19, and OHSU says it’s running a clinic with remdesivir because it’s more compatible with patients who are taking other medications.
OHSU pharmacist YoungYoon Ham says remdesivir is administered over three days of clinic visits and is usable up to seven days after COVID-19 symptoms start.
“There’s a lot of people out there who could use this for sure,” Ham said, who added, “With all of these treatments, early treatment is really vital, so if you are at high risk and you know you are high risk, you shouldn’t wait until you get worse until you get evaluated at least.”
The other two drugs approved or authorized in the U.S. to treat COVID-19 are Paxlovid, which includes two different drugs, and Lagevrio.