I asked my neurologist if I should get Covid booster or full dose(pharmacy questioned me so I asked) here is her response.
You can get the normal booster.
After 2 weeks from the booster we can schedule you for another new treatment designed for patients with immunosupression called EVUSHELD. This has a good amount of antibodies against the virus infection protective for 6 mo.It is done in clinic by 2 intramuscular injections. Please, review the info below and see if you are interested to get this treatment. We started injecting the patients for 2 weeks now.
You will be given a medicine called EVUSHELD (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab). It is an investigational medicine used to for preexposure prophylaxis for prevention of COVID-19 in persons who are not currently infected with SARS-CoV-2 and who have not had recent known close contact with someone who is infected with SARS-CoV-2 AND who have moderate to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition or have received immunosuppressive medicines and may not mount an adequate immune response to COVID-19 vaccination OR for whom vaccination with any available COVID-19 vaccine is not recommended due to a history of severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine(s) or vaccine ingredient(s).
EVUSHELD is investigational because it is still being studied. EVUSHELD has not undergone the same type of review as an FDA-approved product. There is limited information known about the safety and effectiveness of using EVUSHELD to prevent COVID-19. However, the FDA has authorized the emergency use of EVUSHELD for pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of COVID-19 under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Under section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), when the Secretary of HHS declares that an EUA is appropriate, FDA may authorize unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases when certain criteria are met, including there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.
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Thanks for posting, I have heard of it. It sounds awesome for those who may not have mounted a response from the vaccines or having had covid itself. Or even if they have it will provide extra protection ?
I think I would want to be tested first to see how much of a response I HAVE mounted before going ahead with the evusheld, but that's me.
Did I miss that you WOULD be tested first or just given evusheld assuming because you are immunocompromised you will benefit from it?
I need to learn more about it especially as I am due for my ocrevus infusion.
So after some more reading evusheld is a long lasting antibody therapy used for pre exposure preventative against covid.
Evusheld is derived from B-cells donated by convalescent patients after SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Studies showed evusheld provided protection for at least 6 months, possibly up to a year against covid infection.👍👍
I have received monoclonal antibodies twice. First was called bamlanivimab, given last April when I had covid, presumably the "original" strain or delta.
Then in Dec when husband and son had covid I was given a different monoclonal antibody treatment called regeneron as a preventative that was helpful against delta but not omicron.
So I have to wonder, what variant(s) was evusheld designed to work against?
A excerpt from the a 12-8-21 article "with Evusheld, we now have the first antibody therapy authorized in the US to prevent COVID-19 symptoms before virus exposure, while also providing long lasting protection with a single dose. Evusheld neutralises all previous SARs-CoV-2 variants to date, and we are working quickly to establish its efficacy against the new Omicron variant."
Sounds like they didn't yet know if it would be effective against omicon. Does "providing long lasting protection with a single dose" mean it could replace vaccines or supplement them?
I have a virtual appt with my neuro tomorrow and I will ask about Evushield. I am on Ocrevus, 5 months out from my 3rd shot, and am wondering if I should get a booster or Evushield. Have you asked your neuro about it?
No I have not. I am almost 3 months out from my 2nd vaccine and 7 months out from last ocrevus . But I also just got the regeneron antibodies on Dec 24 as a preventative when husband and son had covid so I seriously doubt the evusheld would be an option so soon . I also have to wait 3 months after antibodies for another vaccine/booster.
Please let us know what your neuro suggests tomorrow, enquiring minds...❓❓❓
Will do. I didn't realize that they were using Regeneron as a preventative. I have read that neither Regeneron or the Eli Lilly monoclonal antibody is effective against Omicron.
That's true they say that neither Regeneron or the Eli Lilly monoclonal antibody is effective against Omicron
They were still offering regeneron into January here at our hospital, thank goodness as husband received it on Dec 23, his oxygen had dropped to 85 and he started to improve soon after receiving regeneron so most likely he had delta or it wouldn't have helped.
I believe they were too quick to assume every positive case was omicron and stop offering regeneron and eli lilly antibodies, especially in more remote areas like ours where delta was still prevalent. Even more so because they had nothing else to offer people as sotrovimab wasn't widely available yet.
So appreciative for feedback, I don’t like taking any med, I feel like it’s a bit too new, I’m no lab rat. I totally respect and trust my neurologist hoping more had heard or tried it.
I believe there were posts about it, but this is the first I’ve seen of someone being offered it. Seems like this lasts longer than boosters, that could be a plus!
I received this treatment Wed this week at UTX Medical School. I’m 74, have MS, had Pfizer’s including booster 6 months ago. No side effects at all. Referred by my MS Clinic.
Next Ocrevus March 5th must do booster now, I shared my drs response I will go back and ask if evushield wont delay March Ocrevus and some of the other questions people are asking here
Do you have a good reason to be protected from COVID for the next 5 or 6 month? Are you working with other people outside the home? Do you travel on public transportation? Are you living in a home with multi-generations or school age children? If not, why would you want to take an investigational drug in addition to the vaccines? If your exposures are minimal and you can wear a good mask when you go out, why risk it and why waste it? You don't need to take something just because it is available and offered to you. I'd rather see it used on someone who cannot be vaccinated or has an organ transplant.
I’m with you no I’ve been super careful my spouse has Parkinson’s and I help out my 92 year old mom weekly. My husband is getting open heart surgery any time I feel like I’m safe should I do it for my husband and mom. I hate meds Ocrevus I do it because I’m afraid otherwise I typically say no to most shots
You certainly do have reasons to consider Evusheld. I don't know what I would do in your situation but I doubt I would take it. And I wonder, if a person takes it once will they then take it every six months in addition to a booster? That's a lot of foreign material messing with your immune system and your whole body, for that matter.
I contacted astra zeneca because evusheld study of @ 5000 people only included 3.8% who were actually immune compromised (others were high risk with obesity, diabetes etc.). I asked if they did a separate subgroup analysis of those few who were immune compromised? “They did not”
Wow! So Evusheld is supposedly for the immune compromised, but they tested it almost exclusively on people who were at risk because of co-morbidities, and not immune compromised? And then they didn't analyze the immune compromised group of 190 people? That's BS.
yes, Evusheld seems to be @ 70% effective. My concern is, are the 30% who did not respond to Evusheld immune compromised <<shrug>>??? If there are no side effects, maybe it's worth a try but there are always possible risks
Just got booster pharmacist wanted to give me full Moderna dose I said no booster she made me sign something saying I refused and she never heard of Evusheld. Yikes
it is my understanding the Moderna booster is a half dose and Pfizer booster is a full dose. Why would the pharmacist force a full dose of Moderna as a booster? I would think twice about going back to that pharmacy. UGH.. That's crazy. May have something to do with how they are paid maybe? that's the only thing I can think of
Yes, we might be elegible for a full dose if we had gotten the first 2 doses of Moderna but unless you specifically tell the pharmacist that you are immuno-compromised they wouldn't know and beside the point why would try to FORCE a full vaccine dose on someone? thats the part that makes no sense
I know the pharmacy was aware of my ms when I went for the 2nd shot, I don't remember but I think it was asked about at the 1st vaccine which was given at a different pharmacy, because of the timing. Remember at the beginning when people were given the vaccine in levels- depending on your age, job, or health? Seems so long ago.
My neuro has also recommended a 3rd full dose, then the booster. I think that is the standard now for things like ms and comorbidities.
I don't want another full 3rd dose. I don't want a booster either, I just want it to go away.....🙁 (I know I should be thankful the option is there instead of whining about it)
Anyway, I fully agree with you that no one should be forced or talked into anything they don't want to do. I hate that healthcare workers have lost/are losing their jobs for not getting the vaccine. They worked through months unprotected before vaccines and now some states are kicking them to the curb while other states allow them to work even if they test positive! It is crazy and I'm glad I no longer work in health care.
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Evusheld?
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