On Tuesday, Mayor Dave Bronson announced that the Municipality of Anchorage, in partnership with WEKA Medical, has started a new Covid-19 treatment center to provide vaccinations, testing, and monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments.
“This will drastically increase our capacity to fight against the COVID-19 virus,” Bronson said. “We are doing everything we can to increase treatments for the citizens of Anchorage.”
The Covid-19 Treatment Center will be inside the former Golden Lion Hotel, 1000 E. 36th Avenue, a Municipality of Anchorage owned building. The building was purchased by the former mayor and Assembly, using proceeds from the sale of ML&P. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz and the Assembly instead wanted the hotel to be used for drug treatment for addicts.
Instead, at the direction of the mayor, the private provider WEKA will use the facility to provide vaccinations, testing, and monoclonal treatments for Covid infections. The facility will have the capacity to treat hundreds of patients per week. This new location will significantly increase treatment capacity in Anchorage, Bronson said.
Another mAb treatment center, operated by Fairweather in conjunction with the State of Alaska, is located in Tikahtnu Commons at 1142 N. Muldoon Rd.
More information about mAb treatment locations, including scheduling an appointment, can be found at antibodies | Coronavirus Response Anchorage (arcgis.com).
Monoclonal antibody treatments are recommended by the Infections Disease Society of America and the National Institutes of Health. Monoclonal antibodies help the immune system recognize and respond more effectively to the Covid-19 virus. The treatment can prevent severe symptoms and hospitalization. The treatment is available regardless of vaccination status.
The center is open now. People need to register at the link above.
Background on the Golden Lion Hotel purchase in 2020:
Monoclonal antibodies were approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration last year.
