Gretchen Klee Musa, 50, is a special education teacher in Wheaton, Illinois. She’s also a transplant recipient who has been taking immunosuppressants — drugs that weaken the immune system — to prevent her body from rejecting the transplant for more than seven years.
“They make it harder to fight infections such as Covid,” Musa said, adding that while immunosuppressants are important for certain functions, they can also lower the amount of protection offered by vaccines.
Knowing her body might need help to fight off Covid-19, Musa used a monoclonal antibody therapy as prevention in March 2022 to lower her risk of infection. When she did eventually get Covid in October 2022, Musa was given a different monoclonal antibody for treatment.
“I am very fortunate that I got Covid as late as I did, after so many rounds of vaccines, boosters and [preventive] antibodies,” Musa said. She was able to get through the infection without serious issues.
Much emphasis has been placed on vaccines for pr..
- Monday, December 23, 2024