DeSantis says monoclonal antibody treatment ‘underpublicized’

Author: News Service of Florida
Published: Updated:
FILE – This May 4 2021 file photo shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, speaks during a news conference at West Miami Middle School in Miami. Several states scaled back their reporting of COVID-19 statistics this July 2021, just as cases across the country started to skyrocket, depriving the public of real-time information on outbreaks, cases, hospitalizations and deaths in their communities. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, File)

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced the opening of a state-supported site at Camping World Stadium in Orlando where up to 320 people a day can receive monoclonal antibody treatment to help fight COVID-19 infections.

DeSantis, who promised that additional sites would open in the coming days, said he wanted to promote the availability of the treatment and to expand access to it. DeSantis said hospital officials report that “well over 90 percent” of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 aren’t vaccinated, but they also have not had monoclonal antibody treatment to help fight the infection.

The treatment provides a temporary but immediate boost to the immune system. DeSantis called the treatment a “tool in the toolbox” that should be used but said he thinks it has been “underpublicized.”

Former President Donald Trump received the experimental treatment in October after being hospitalized with COVID-19. DeSantis opened a similar site in Jacksonville last week.

The governor’s Orlando announcement came as Florida hospitals reported nearly 84% of their beds were filled and that nearly 24% of the patients in the beds have COVID-19, according to data maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As of Monday, Florida had 15,962 patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections, and 37 hospitals reported having critical staffing shortages, according to data hospitals report to the federal government.

Joining the governor was Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Simone Marstiller, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, and FDEM Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kenneth Scheppke.

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