Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem is the first hospital in Israel to offer outpatient treatment to vulnerable COVID-19 patients to prevent the progression of their disease and the need for hospitalization. The treatment planned for these patients is the one-time antibody therapy called Bamlanivimab, intended for use in the beginning stages of the illness after the patient has tested positive for COVID-19 on a PCR test. The treatment, including observation time, takes about two hours.

Hadassah is urging all Jerusalemites who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk for severe illness, or who begin to develop shortness of breath or a cough to come to the hospital without delay to receive this therapy. The treatment is especially important for individuals over age 65 and those with underlying conditions, including people taking immunosuppressants or on chemotherapy or dialysis, organ transplant recipients, and patients with lung disease who use inhalers or take respiratory medicine.

Patients must arrive by ambulance, as is the procedure for all patients who test positive for COVID-19. Among the first patients to arrive were two organ transplant recipients.