COVID-19 Treatment

Free treatments for COVID-19 are available. They can help prevent hospitalization and reduce your chance for severe disease. Treatment is available for those who test positive for COVID-19 and have any symptoms, even mild ones (such as runny nose or cough), and should especially be considered for those who are at risk of severe disease.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health estimates that about 40% of MA residents would be eligible for COVID-19 treatments, if they are infected. Click here for a list of medical conditions that may make you eligible.

If you think you may be eligible and have questions to see if treatment is right for you, contact your medical provider or call the COVID-19 Self-Referral Treatment Line: (508) 213-1380, Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. This line is operated by Gothams, a state contractor, and is a free resource that can help refer individuals to sites for monoclonal antibody treatments.

In-Home Treatment for COVID-19

CDR Health, the state vendor who provides the in-home COVID-19 vaccination program, is expanding its services to include in-home administration of monoclonal antibody preventive and therapeutic treatments and other FDA-approved therapies for COVID-19. These services are available to people who are moderately to severely immune compromised.

In-home COVID-19 Treatment Program

For Providers

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health page on treatments for COVID-19 includes: guidance, information on how to access these treatments, a downloadable referral form, retail pharmacies that dispense these medications, and a treatment location locator. The state contractor, Gothams, will provide no-cost transportation to patients who need it.

Information For Providers

Treatment Options in Massachusetts

Note: Most must be started within 5 days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

Oral Therapeutics (Pills)

  • Paxlovid
  • Molnupiravir

Oral therapeutic treatments require a prescription from a healthcare provider and must be started within 5 days of COVID-19 symptom onset. Learn about tele-health options to get Paxlovid if you are having a hard time reaching your primary care provider.

Monoclonal Antibody Intravenous (IV) and Antiviral Infusion:

  • Sotrovimab
  • Remdesivir
  • Bebtelovimab

Referrals for monoclonal antibody treatment can be provided by the Gothams call center by calling (508) 213-1380, Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., or by an individual’s healthcare provider.

These treatments are potentially lifesaving for eligible individuals, but they must be administered quickly to be effective.  They can help keep you from getting very sick and from being hospitalized.  Call your provider or the Gothams phone number right away to see if treatment could be right for you. Even if symptoms are mild, please consider these safe and effective treatments to prevent the disease from progressing to a point that may require hospitalization.

Long COVID Resources
For some people, symptoms do not stop after their initial infection and can continue for months, if not years, afterwards. For others, new and recurring symptoms can occur. Long COVID is the common name given to symptoms that last for at least three months after initial infection.Because COVID can affect multiple areas of the body, long covid may present itself through neurologic/cognitive symptoms, and/or from affecting the lungs, the heart and smaller blood vessels, and the kidneys, to name a few.The CDC lists a number of symptoms here.

Prevalence

Long COVID affects approximately 1 in 5 people that get COVID.  Read this CDC press release with these numbers.

TIME: https://time.com/6190112/long-covid-prevalence-us/

In Massachusetts:

  • 24% of adults in Massachusetts who have ever had COVID have experienced Long COVID.  These adults had COVID and had some symptoms that lasted three months or longer.
    • Nearly 1 in 4 of adults in Massachusetts who have ever had COVID have experienced Long COVID.
  • 12.6% of adults in Massachusetts who have ever had COVID are currently experiencing Long COVID. These adults had COVID, had long-term symptoms, and are still experiencing symptoms.
    • About 1 in 8 of adults in Massachusetts who have ever had COVID are currently experiencing Long COVID.

For some, Long COVID is disabling. Since July 2021, Long COVID has been included as a disability by the US government: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/civil-rights-covid19/guidance-long-covid-disability/index.html

Prevention 

The best way to prevent Long COVID is to protect yourself and others from becoming infected. Staying up-to-date on COVID vaccines and boosters, wearing a mask, staying away from others and testing when sick. Learn more about how to assess COVID risk on the CDC website.

Treatment

Although many treatments are currently being developed, there are a number of places that have Long COVID clinics. A list of Massachusetts Long COVID clinics can be found on the Northampton Health Department website.

Support Groups

Living with Long COVID can be hard and many have found support groups as great places to share information and experiences. A comprehensive list of Long COVID support groups can be found on the Northampton Health Department website.

FRCOG COVID-19 Landing Page
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