First COVID-19 vaccines may be available soon, local doctors say

The first vaccines against COVID-19 may be available in southern Illinois soon, Southern Illinois Healthcare doctors said in a weekly update Wednesday morning.

In a virtual teleconference, SIH doctors said some vaccines to be distributed by SIH's Memorial Hospital of Carbondale could be available by next week.

SIH Chief Medical Officer Marci Moore Connelly said while information about the availability is updated continually, the first doses are expected soon.

In addition, both Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and Herrin Hospital, SIH's two hospitals set up to treat COVID-19 patients, continue to have space available.

However, capacity is reduced due to the number of SIH employees who are out themselves due to COVID-19 or exposure to someone who has had the virus.

About 165 SIH employees were out as of Tuesday morning, which is down from 200 the previous week. Because of the reduction in available staff, elective surgeries continue to be postponed.

Meanwhile, a new type of treatment is available for some COVID-19 patients, according to Dr. Josh Miksanek, Herrin Hospital's ER medical director.

The treatment, called monoclonal antibody therapy, is available to some patients. While the treatment has not been approved formally by the FDA, its use in emergency cases has been. Strict criteria determine who may receive the treatment, Miksanek said, and not everyone who qualifies will be able to receive it.