A High-Risk Patient With COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Successfully Treated With Monoclonal Antibodies Through Two Major Surges

Abstract

Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant challenge in managing the current pandemic despite highly effective vaccines in the United States. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are an essential addition to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, along with oral antiviral agents (OAA), for non-hospitalized patients having risk factors for progression to severe COVID-19, especially in unvaccinated people. We present a case of a 74-year-old unvaccinated Hispanic woman with a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, obesity, and asthma who survived two episodes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in January 2021 and December 2021 with exclusive use of mAb. Our case highlights the importance of using mAbs for treating high-risk patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in patients with vaccine hesitancy.