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WILLIAMSPORT -- UPMC medical officials say now is not the time for people to let down their guards, despite decreasing numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations of late.
The health system held a press conference to provide a coronavirus update and announce the availability of Evusheld, a preventative COVID two-shot treatment for immunocompromised people over the age of 12.
So far, UPMC has given out 1,000 doses of Evusheld throughout the health system and will offer more of the shots, according to Tammy Minnier, chief quality & operational excellence officer.
"We believe it works very well," she said.
Evusheld, she noted, has been made available at UPMC Williamsport but is in short supply.
The Food and Drug Administration in December authorized Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody combination which could help an estimated 7 million people in the U.S.
Dr. Stanley Marks, chairman, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, noted that Evusheld is not a substitute for the vaccine but for immunocompromised people.
He urged those who are recommended for Evusheld to get it.
Meanwhile, numbers of COVID cases are continuing to experience drops since hitting a peak in mid-January, according to UPMC officials.
And while there is hope for optimism, the battle to treat and protect people from the virus is ongoing.
"Hospital care is still fairly high, but I do see positive signs," Dr. Donald Yealy, chief medical officer, said.
He noted the challenges for UPMC health care providers to care for patients during the pandemic.
UPMC officials urged the public to continue to take steps for staying healthy by wearing masks in public and getting vaccinated.
"This is not the time to let up," Yealey said. "We may be finished with the pandemic because of our fatigue about it, but the pandemic is not through with us."
Minnier said UPMC personnel are doing their best to provide care.
"Our teams are not done with this virus," she said. "Please continue to wear your masks. Get a vaccine."
Yealey said, "We still don't know what the future holds."