CHI St. Joseph Temporary Closes Its Pandemic Infusion Center

WTAW 1620 94.5 Coronavirus COVID-19 Featured

CHI St. Joseph Health has temporarily closed its pandemic infusion center.

According to a St. Joseph news release, the current infusion formula is not effective in treating the Omicron variant.

And in the last 48 hours, since Tuesday morning, all COVID cases tested by St. Joseph laboratories are consistent with the Omicron variant.

The infusion center at St. Joseph’s hospital in College Station will reopen once a product is available that is effective against the Omicron variant.

The news release also stated the state of Texas does not currently have an infusion formula that is effective against Omicron.

St. Joseph operated a state supported infusion center that opened September 30 and served 675 patients before closing earlier this month.

Before and since the state run center, infusion services have been at the College Station hospital since February.

News release from CHI St. Joseph Health:

St. Joseph Health is temporarily closing the monoclonal antibody infusion center located at St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital.

The current monoclonal antibody infusion is not effective in treating the Omicron variant, which is the dominant strain currently being experienced in the Brazos Valley.

In the last 48 hours, all cases of COVID found by St. Joseph Health laboratories are consistent with the Omicron variant.

Currently the State of Texas does not have any monoclonal antibody formulations effective against Omicron available for St. Joseph Health to acquire.

Once we receive the antibody infusion effective against the Omicron variant we will reopen the infusion center.