Dept of Health: Effective anti-COVID drug available in Washington for eligible patients

OLYMPIA – Thousands of doses of a potentially life-saving COVID-19 drug are available in the state of Washington, and could potentially benefit those at highest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) is a monoclonal antibody treatment that can provide protection against COVID-19. Provided via injection, it can be given to adults and children 12 years and older before infection with COVID-19. 

At present, those eligible to receive Evusheld include people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised or have had a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.

Individuals interested in this treatment should talk to their health care provider to determine if they are eligible for Evusheld. If they are, they can work with their providers to find a facility where they can receive the injection.

“Statewide, our cases and hospitalizations are moving in the right direction, but there are still deaths from COVID-19 every day, and a rise in cases caused by new variants is always a possibility,” said Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, MD, MPH, Chief Science Officer. 

“We want to make sure patients who are immunocompromised know about treatments like Evusheld. It could be a game-changer for those who need extra protection.”

People at high risk for severe disease from COVID-19 who are not eligible for Evusheld should ask their health care provider about other antiviral and monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19 that are available by prescription only and must be given within the first few days of COVID-19 symptoms to be effective.

Evusheld was first released for use in December 2021 and was initially very difficult to access due to limited supply. Additional information on Evusheld for patients, parents and caregivers can be found here. 

More information on COVID-19 therapeutics can also be found at Washington State Department of Health’s website here, and information for health care providers including a listing of sites where COVID-19 therapeutics are allocated can be found here.