While life has yet to return to normal during the pandemic and the United States and the rest of the
world awaits a COVID-19 vaccine, fortunately, there are now some treatments that have been proven to
help the sickest patients form the novel coronavirus and save lives.
Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has the latest on five of these treatments.

1. Corticosteroids

The drug dexamethasone, which falls in this class of steroids, has been found to lower mortality rates in
the sickest of patients—usually those on a ventilator. Two other positives of this treatment is that it's
widely available and inexpensive, since it is a generic steroid.

2. Remdesivir

This was the first drug approved to treat COVID-19. Remdesivir was developed to treat Ebola and
malaria, and it is far more expensive than the steroid treatment. This has been given to hospitalized
patients who did not need a ventilator.

3. Convalescent Plasma

Researchers started collecting plasma of early COVID patients that recovered from the virus. This allows
antibodies in that plasma to catch on in the person receiving the infusion, hopefully allowing their body
a boost in trying to fight off the virus.

4. Antibody Drugs

Antibody drugs are being tested through clinical trials to give to people who are not sick enough to be
hospitalized. One such drug did report a decrease in hospitalizations with this medication, but this is still
an emerging therapy and is not approved for widespread use.

5. Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication

The anti-inflammatory drugs Acterma and Olumiant are believed to help patients whose immune
systems have such an aggressive response to the virus that it causes major complications by attacking its
own cells. Each have been combined with remdesivir and showed promising results, though this is also
not an FDA- or WHO-approved theory.

To learn more about Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they
offer, visit http://schenectady-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org/.