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¿El tratamiento con anticuerpos monoclonales es lo mismo que una vacuna? De no ser así, ¿cuál es la diferencia?

Los tratamientos con anticuerpos monoclonales no son lo mismo que las vacunas. Los anticuerpos monoclonales son medicamentos que administran directamente anticuerpos artificiales contra un virus a su cuerpo para ayudar a combatir las infecciones. Para tratar el virus del Covid-19, la FDA aprobó dos tratamientos con anticuerpos monoclonales para uso de emergencia – el bamlanivimab y el cóctel de anticuerpos casirivimab e imdevimab. Estos tratamientos se administran a los pacientes por vía intravenosa y atacan la proteína del pico natural que se encuentra en la superficie del virus del Covid-19. Por lo general, los anticuerpos solo duran unos pocos meses.

También se está estudiando si los anticuerpos monoclonales pueden usarse para prevenir infecciones. Sin embargo, no es probable que la protección de un anticuerpo monoclonal dure tanto como la protección de una vacuna.

Las vacunas funcionan de manera diferente. Invitan a que su sistema inmunológico "aprenda" sobre el virus y desarrolle defensas más duraderas contra éste, incluyendo la producción de anticuerpos naturales.

Para obtener más información sobre qué es una vacuna, haga clic aquí.

Para obtener más información sobre las vacunas de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech y Moderna, haga clic aquí.

Monoclonal antibody treatments are not the same as vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies are medicines that directly deliver man-made antibodies against a virus to your body to help fight off infection. To treat Covid-19, the FDA has approved two monoclonal antibody treatments for emergency use -- bamlanivimab and the casirivimab and imdevimab antibody cocktail. These treatments are given to patients through an IV and attack the natural spike protein found on the surface of the Covid-19 virus. The antibodies typically only last a few months.

Whether monoclonal antibodies can be used to prevent infection is also being studied. However, protection from a monoclonal antibody is not likely to last as long as protection from a vaccine.

Vaccines work differently. They prompt your immune system to "learn" about the virus and build longer-lasting defenses against it. That includes the production of natural antibodies.

Learn more about what a vaccine is here.

You can find additional information on Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna's mRNA vaccines here. 

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When can I get my Covid vaccine?

Each state has its own plan for deciding who gets the covid vaccine first. Visit our interactive state map to visit your state public health department website for more information on vaccine availability and distribution.

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