Keith Klein (Photo: Fox59)
Drug maker Eli Lilly says its COVID-19 antibody drug can prevent illness in residents and staff of nursing homes. It’s the first major study showing an effective treatment.
Residents and staff who got the drug had up to a 57% lower risk of getting COVID-19 compared to others at the facility who got a placebo. Among nursing home residents only, the risk was reduced by up to 80%.
The study involved more than 1,000 residents and staff at nursing homes and other long-term care locations.
The FDA allowed emergency use of the Lilly antibody drug as a treatment for mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization. It’s a one-time treatment delivered by IV.
Lilly said it will seek to include using the drug to prevent and treat COVID-19 in long-term care facilities.
Such locations account for less than 1% of the population, but nearly 40% of deaths from COVID-19. As of Thursday, the U.S. had more than 406-thousand deaths from the virus. Worldwide, there are more than 96 million confirmed cases with more than 2 million deaths.
Alex Trebek’s last week as host of Jeopardy! drew the game show’s huge ratings, and his last program garnered the largest audience in more than a year and a half.
The Jan. 8 telecast averaged 14.0 million viewers, the show’s largest audience since June 3, 2019, the end of James Holzhauer’s remarkable streak.
With more than 100 million viewers tuning into the Super Bowl, the annual rite of over-the-top commercials is anticipated as eagerly as the game itself.
It is because of the size of that audience the cost of a single commercial goes higher at each succeeding Super Bowl. This year, the cost of one 30-second spot is $5.6 million. The stakes are high.
