U.S. -- Despite resistance to vaccine and mask laws, the governors of Florida, Missouri and Texas are committing millions of dollars to antibody therapy for those infected, arguing they could potentially keep patients with mild symptoms hospitals inundated with new cases. However, the treatment, as well as the cost of providing it, costs thousands of dollars more than preventive vaccination and is difficult to administer because it works best in the early stages of infection.
The governors 'urge to take medication has angered health officials and some in the Biden administration, who argue that the governors' attitude indicates that Covid-19 can be treated like a common cold. They note that treatments such as the Regeneron antibody cocktail given to former President Donald Trump during his illness are important, but they are only part of a limited arsenal to prevent hospitalization or death of patients. , it is not a decisive factor that can help end the pandemic.
"These leaders must also promote the strictest public health guidelines for what we know to work to protect people from the virus, not just to cure disease," said an unauthorized administration official on the matter. .
In his speech on the pandemic response on Wednesday, President Joe Biden stressed the importance of prevention, saying: “We have two important ways of protecting ourselves against Covid-19: there is only one the only safe, free and effective vaccine. , there are masks. Vaccines are the best protection, but masks can help too. “Biden took the opportunity to demand a Covid-19 vaccination for workers at federally funded nursing homes and deepen his feud with Republican states over the rules for school masks.
Either way, officials in red are promoting antibody therapy. The Florida surgeon general on Monday cleared a generic prescription for the Regeneron combination, allowing anyone in the state to get it without a doctor's approval.
The federal government paid $ 2,100 for each dose of over 1.5 million doses of Regeneron. Patients are not billed for drugs, but the state must pay for the establishment and staffing of drug distribution points.
Greg Abbott of Texas, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and was treated with the Regeneron combination, announced the opening of nine new antibody infusion centers last week, saying they would reduce hospitalizations.
Additionally, Missouri intends to invest $ 15 million from the CARES Act to open and staff at least five new infusion centers across the state.
The three governors called on residents to get vaccinated, while downplaying the usefulness of other mitigation measures such as masks and isolation and eliminating mandatory vaccines. While those two states currently account for more than a third of the nation's Covid hospitalizations, Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are defending his ban on school masks in court.
“There is no point in hampering the science and unequivocal public health advice of all the doctors, nurses and non-mad professionals in this country,” said Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. we're talking about [infusion] facilities that we can avoid if we get people immunized. "
The White House has pushed states with low vaccination rates and a growing number of cases to use these drugs, but only as an adjunct to preventing human disease. The antibodies are usually given in an infusion set and the treatment can take several hours. Some hospitals need to build other sites or temporary structures to complete the work.
DeSantis said on Wednesday that vaccinations reduce the risk of serious illness, but breakthrough infections are "not uncommon."
His spokesperson, Christina Pushaw, said the governor never intended to consider antibody therapy a substitute for vaccines and had participated in hundreds of immunization promotion events. She went on to say that while most people are aware of the vaccine, they may not be aware of antibody therapy, so the governor felt it necessary to raise the issue.
She said: "Governor DeSantis makes decisions based on data and follows science." “Those who attack him for expanding access to life-saving treatments for Covid-19 put politics above public health, putting lives at risk. Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is not and should not be controversial. "
DeSantis, on the other hand, was one of the more outspoken government officials, saying fears about the virus were overblown. He played with Biden due to Covid restrictions, sued to prevent cruise lines from requiring vaccinations, sold items mocking Biden's chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, and argued he there was no empirical evidence that the mask requires work to stop proliferation. Covid-19 - or that the benefits of a school mask outweigh the risks.
Several studies have shown that masks reduce transmission indoors, and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend wearing them in schools regardless of vaccination status.
Monoclonal antibodies are increasingly seen as the last and best hope for saving the healthcare system in areas where vaccination rates are low and masks are still frowned upon.
Mississippi health worker Thomas Dobbs issued a standing order on Sunday allowing anyone in the state to seek medical attention, even if they do not have a doctor. Alabama doctors are relying on monoclonal antibodies to keep the healthcare system afloat as there are no more intensive care beds left.
Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Pearcey told reporters on Monday that hospitals are already overwhelmed and people need to reap the benefits of monoclonal antibodies.
“It has always amazed me how few people know this,” she said.
While most people think these treatments are vital, some public health professionals fear their promotion may help spread the idea that only immunocompromised patients need an injection or a mask.
Another problem, according to Markus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territory Health Organizations, is that people can spread the infection before they realize they need treatment.
"If this is our strategy, we will not be able to stop the pandemic anytime soon," he warned.
The governors 'urge to take medication has angered health officials and some in the Biden administration, who argue that the governors' attitude indicates that Covid-19 can be treated like a common cold. They note that treatments such as the Regeneron antibody cocktail given to former President Donald Trump during his illness are important, but they are only part of a limited arsenal to prevent hospitalization or death of patients. , it is not a decisive factor that can help end the pandemic.
"These leaders must also promote the strictest public health guidelines for what we know to work to protect people from the virus, not just to cure disease," said an unauthorized administration official on the matter. .
In his speech on the pandemic response on Wednesday, President Joe Biden stressed the importance of prevention, saying: “We have two important ways of protecting ourselves against Covid-19: there is only one the only safe, free and effective vaccine. , there are masks. Vaccines are the best protection, but masks can help too. “Biden took the opportunity to demand a Covid-19 vaccination for workers at federally funded nursing homes and deepen his feud with Republican states over the rules for school masks.
Either way, officials in red are promoting antibody therapy. The Florida surgeon general on Monday cleared a generic prescription for the Regeneron combination, allowing anyone in the state to get it without a doctor's approval.
The federal government paid $ 2,100 for each dose of over 1.5 million doses of Regeneron. Patients are not billed for drugs, but the state must pay for the establishment and staffing of drug distribution points.
Greg Abbott of Texas, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and was treated with the Regeneron combination, announced the opening of nine new antibody infusion centers last week, saying they would reduce hospitalizations.
Additionally, Missouri intends to invest $ 15 million from the CARES Act to open and staff at least five new infusion centers across the state.
The three governors called on residents to get vaccinated, while downplaying the usefulness of other mitigation measures such as masks and isolation and eliminating mandatory vaccines. While those two states currently account for more than a third of the nation's Covid hospitalizations, Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are defending his ban on school masks in court.
“There is no point in hampering the science and unequivocal public health advice of all the doctors, nurses and non-mad professionals in this country,” said Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. we're talking about [infusion] facilities that we can avoid if we get people immunized. "
The White House has pushed states with low vaccination rates and a growing number of cases to use these drugs, but only as an adjunct to preventing human disease. The antibodies are usually given in an infusion set and the treatment can take several hours. Some hospitals need to build other sites or temporary structures to complete the work.
DeSantis said on Wednesday that vaccinations reduce the risk of serious illness, but breakthrough infections are "not uncommon."
His spokesperson, Christina Pushaw, said the governor never intended to consider antibody therapy a substitute for vaccines and had participated in hundreds of immunization promotion events. She went on to say that while most people are aware of the vaccine, they may not be aware of antibody therapy, so the governor felt it necessary to raise the issue.
She said: "Governor DeSantis makes decisions based on data and follows science." “Those who attack him for expanding access to life-saving treatments for Covid-19 put politics above public health, putting lives at risk. Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is not and should not be controversial. "
DeSantis, on the other hand, was one of the more outspoken government officials, saying fears about the virus were overblown. He played with Biden due to Covid restrictions, sued to prevent cruise lines from requiring vaccinations, sold items mocking Biden's chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, and argued he there was no empirical evidence that the mask requires work to stop proliferation. Covid-19 - or that the benefits of a school mask outweigh the risks.
Several studies have shown that masks reduce transmission indoors, and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend wearing them in schools regardless of vaccination status.
Monoclonal antibodies are increasingly seen as the last and best hope for saving the healthcare system in areas where vaccination rates are low and masks are still frowned upon.
Mississippi health worker Thomas Dobbs issued a standing order on Sunday allowing anyone in the state to seek medical attention, even if they do not have a doctor. Alabama doctors are relying on monoclonal antibodies to keep the healthcare system afloat as there are no more intensive care beds left.
Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Pearcey told reporters on Monday that hospitals are already overwhelmed and people need to reap the benefits of monoclonal antibodies.
“It has always amazed me how few people know this,” she said.
While most people think these treatments are vital, some public health professionals fear their promotion may help spread the idea that only immunocompromised patients need an injection or a mask.
Another problem, according to Markus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territory Health Organizations, is that people can spread the infection before they realize they need treatment.
"If this is our strategy, we will not be able to stop the pandemic anytime soon," he warned.
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