More and more Central Coast residents are turning to a new COVID-19 treatment, monoclonal antibody infusion.
A new infusion center recently opened its doors in Arroyo Grande to help with the surge of COVID-19 patients utilizing the new treatment.
Since the Halcyon Infusion Center on South Halcyon Road opened a couple of months ago, nearly 100 patients have received care.
It's a treatment Adriana Milligan of Paso Robles is crediting with saving her life.
"I was just one click away from being hospitalized," Milligan said.
Monoclonal antibody infusion uses synthetic antibodies to freeze the infection in its tracks.
It's an evolution of a plasma treatment from a recovered sick person to another to clear the infection.
"What we do here is an intervenous line and we put the monoclonal antibodies into the vein because that's where the H2 receptors are, where the virus is primarily reproducing," explained Dr. Michael Limberg, Director of the Halcyon Infusion Center.
Milligan recently received the treatment from the Halcyon Infusion Center after coming down with COVID-19.
"I've been vaccinated with both vaccines, I've had my booster and I still got COVID and when I got it, I got it hardcore," Milligan explained.
The mother of four is a Type 1 diabetic and she has a couple of other autoimmune illnesses.
"I was literally at the brink of no return," Milligan said. "Being a high-risk individual and getting this virus for me anyways, it brought me to the point of having to think about end-of-life wishes and things of that nature."
She went to Dr. Limberg who is a Central Coast eye surgeon-turned COVID-19 treatment doctor.
"The person that discovered the COVID virus and announced it to the world was an ophthalmologist in China," Dr. Limberg explained.
Milligan says after the one-time, roughly hour and a half process, she noticed a difference right away.
"At first it was hard to believe but then within a matter of 24 hours while everybody else was still fighting off the COVID in my household, I started coming back. The fever stopped, the symptoms stopped," Milligan said.
High-risk individuals are eligible for the infusion.
It's a flat fee of $679 and it's not covered by insurance.
Dr. Limberg is one of a few Central Coast doctors doing the procedure, which was authorized for emergency use by the FDA.
Milligan says it single-handedly saved her life.
"For me, it was a miracle. It was a cure. I feel very humbled and grateful that Dr. Limberg would allow his facility to step outside their practice and offer this," Milligan concluded.
Generally, people can get in within 24-hours for treatment at the Halcyon Infusion Center.
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