The Hawaii Department of Health today announced that a federal team of 30 clinicians will arrive in the state later this month to help administer monoclonal antibody therapy to COVID-19 patients.

There has been an uptick in demand for the therapy, which decreases severe illness in individuals recently infected with COVID-19. Several of the therapies have received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Increasing access to the therapy can provide relief for Hawaii’s hospitals, which are already strained. Officials emphasized, however, that monoclonal antibody therapy is not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.

“Targeted use of monoclonal antibodies could keep Hawaii COVID-19 patients from developing severe illness that requires hospitalization,” said Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char in a news release. “However, COVID-19 vaccination remains the most effective way to create long-lasting immunity and prevent severe illness and death. Increasing access to monoclonal antibody therapy will reduce strain on our hospitals. We thank our state and federal partners for their assistance.”

Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is authorized for individuals 12 and older with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for severe illness, but not hospitalized, and who do not require supplemental oxygen, officials said. Patients also must be referred by a physician.

Numerous hospitals and health centers statewide, including Hilo Medical Center, Kona Community Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Queen’s Medical Center West, Maui Memorial Health Center, Straub, and Wilcox Medical Center on Kauai, among others, have been offering monoclonal antibodies to COVID patients.

Hilo Medical Center first used the treatment for hospitalized patients, including long-term care patients, last year, with good outcomes, said spokeswoman Elena Cabatu.

The demand has grown, however, particularly over the summer. In August, the hospital administered about 75 treatments, and has already administered about 25 so far this month.

Hilo Medical Center has also been operating beyond capacity for the past three weeks, she said, with 38 COVID patients in-house on Friday, in addition to 12 long-haulers that are no longer contagious, but still very sick. Eight long-haulers are on ventilators. Most, from their 20s to 50s, are unvaccinated.

There are 19 intensive care unit patients at the hospital although there are only 11 beds in ICU, she said, so they are being placed in other areas, including a third floor unit and the emergency department.

Kaiser Permanente is offering monoclonal antibody treatments at its Moanalua facility on Oahu, as well as at its Maui Lani Medical Office in Wailuku.

Kaiser has offered the treatments at Moanalua since January, but demand is growing. Last week, 65 treatments were administered there, according to Kaiser spokeswoman Laura Lott, which was an all-time high.

Kaiser welcomes the help from federal workers, and hopes to be able to ramp up and offer up to 30 of the treatments per day.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing the 30 clinicians, who are expected to arrive Sept. 19.

DOH said six teams will be stationed at hospitals or federally qualified health centers across the state, administering treatments, which require monitoring and the ability to respond to reactions or other medical events, seven days a week. The teams will administer monoclonal antibodies by injection.

Monoclonal antibody therapy is not a substitute for vaccination, officials said, because they provide a short burst of immunity compared to the longer-lasting immunity created by vaccination.

“We are taking yet another strategic step to preserve hospital capacity during a time of unprecedented demand,” said Hilton Raethel, President and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii in the news release. “Increasing the number of COVID positive residents who receive this therapy will result in a reduction of symptoms, and reduce demand on our hospitals.”