Free COVID Treatment in Dalton Brings in Patients From All Over Region

DALTON (WDEF) – “This one lady said she saw it on Tik Tok,” says nurse Terresa Adams about the large crowds they have coming in for the free COVID treatment being offered in Dalton.
COVID patients from many miles away are driving to Dalton, Georgia to receive REGEN-COV, a monoclonal antibodies drug therapy.
The antibodies treatment is free to the public and completely funded by the city of Dalton – the only city government that offers it.
“I’m only aware in Georgia that our municipality is offering this therapy. And we’re doing this and supporting the labor behind it and the procurement of the drug because we want to lessen the burden on our health system,” says City of Dalton Council Person Annalee Harlan.
“We’ve been contacted by a number of other city governments to get the road map that we used to offer it for their constituencies as well,” says City of Dalton Spokesperson Bruce Frazier.
A nurse giving the therapy – which is four shots to the stomach – said over 50 percent of the patients are from Atlanta and beyond.
Typically, patients are administered the therapy at a medical center and that can take weeks to schedule.
“The idea is a patient tests positive, she or he would come here, receive treatment and have a much faster and uncomplicated road to recovery,” says Harlan.
Harlan says the people showing up for treatment are already showing symptoms.
“Most of these patients did not get vaccinated. So they are now in this surge so they are the ones that have extreme symptoms and not faring as well,” says Harlan.
People who are interested in receiving the treatment can schedule an appointment online through the Dalton Government website.
“We stay busy from the time we start to the last appointment. It’s just back to back to back,” says Adams.

The drug treatment is also being offered to inmates at the Whitfield County Correctional Center.