SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County health leaders are preparing to bring in a new treatment to fight the coronavirus called monoclonal antibody infusion. 

Thousands of Floridans a day get a COVID-19 diagnosis.  

Joan Grodski in Winter Springs got the positive test in mid December. 

“Impending doom. It was just overwhelming to me,” said Grodski.   

With asthma and heart issues, she said it was extremely terrifying.   

She had shortness of breath, a high fever, a rapid heart beat and an intense cough.  

“I felt that very soon I was going to be the person going to the ER,” said Grodski. 

As the symptoms quickly got worse, her doctors told her there wasn’t much they could do.   

But then she met Dr. Todd Husty, Seminole County’s medical director.   

He referred her to AdventHealth for a monoclonal antibody Infusion. 

“Monoclonal antibodies are manufactured antibodies that are almost identical to the antibodies that we would manufacture if we were responding to a disease,” said Husty. 

Husty said the treatment works extremely well for the majority of patients. 

Now, they’re partnering with True Health to bring an outpatient infusion center to the Oviedo Mall in Seminole County.   

“It’s worked all over the country in saving beds — keeping people in the outpatient environment, so that they don’t need to be an impatient at the hospital,” said Husty. 

Within 24 hours of the monoclonal antibody infusion, Joan was feeling much better.  

Now, she wants to get the word out about the treatment that she says potentially saved her life.

“It was a true blessing because otherwise I was worried of what was going to happen,” said Grodski. 

The infusion center is coming soon, but no set date yet. 

The treatment will be limited to certain groups of people, which is based on age and health condition.​