Dec. 11, 2020

The first residents at communities within The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society have received a newly approved antibody treatment for COVID-19.

Four residents received the hourlong infusion one week ago at Good Samaritan’s Lennox location.

“The outcomes have been good. We’ve seen improvement in signs and symptoms,” said Rochelle Rindels, Good Samaritan’s vice president of nursing and clinical services.

Good Samaritan is beginning to offer the neutralizing antibody bamlanivimab from Eli Lilly and Co. across its national footprint, including in the Sioux Falls area.

Residents can either receive the treatment in their skilled nursing facility or at a Sanford Health infusion center.

“Due to the county positivity rates, especially in Sioux Falls or Minnehaha County, we are required to test twice a week all staff and all residents,” Rindels said. “Fortunately, we can catch the positives before the resident starts developing symptoms.”

That’s also when the antibody treatment is effective – there’s a 10-day window from the positive test to administer the infusion. It’s an optional treatment for those who qualify, which requires someone be 65 or older, at least 88 pounds and not on supplemental oxygen because of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

No one across Good Samaritan communities who has been administered the treatment has had anything other than a mild reaction, such as chills, Rindels said, adding she expects more treatment options to be coming. A similar antibody treatment from Regeneron is still awaiting approval for nursing homes, and an oral antiviral is being tested.

“Our nurses are excited to be able to offer this to their residents,” Rindels said. “Prior to this … we’ve not really had any treatment options, so this is kind of a sigh of relief for those nurses, and they’re really excited and proud to give this to some of the residents.”