The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorization for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy on May 26 to treat COVID in adult and pediatric patients.

The monoclonal therapy sotrovimab earned the EUA for those who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID, including hospitalization and death, according to an FDA press release.

Meanwhile, the Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment site at the Downtown Jacksonville Main Library had opened on Tuesday, Aug. 17.

The site is now offering a COVID treatment option without requiring any doctor referral.

The Florida Department of Health had categorized those who are eligible for the said treatment such as, those who are COVID positive and those considered high-risk people.

Florida Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had announced on Aug. 13 that the state will be rolling out a mobile unit to administer monoclonal antibody treatment to COVID patients.

Officials are looking at the availability of the treatments as Florida struggles with the rising COVID cases in the state, straining its health care system, according to an NPR report.

DeSantis noted that there are benefits to the early treatment when it comes to keeping people out of the hospital while reducing fatality rates.

Officials said that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can receive the treatment.

DeSantis said hospital officials noted that well over 90 percent of patients hospitalized for the virus are not vaccinated.

However, they have also found that they do not have monoclonal antibody treatment to help fight the infection.

Florida is looking to offer the treatment at other locations throughout the state. It will also deploy teams into long-term care facilities to provide treatment for older residents.

Monoclonal Antibodies

Medical experts and public health officials noted that such treatments are not a substitute for vaccination.

Federal and state officials have been promoting the use of antibodies for treatment, particularly in areas with jumping COVID cases, according to a Becker's Hospital Review report.

Earlier in the pandemic, Regeneron noted that its COVID antibody cocktail was not much in demand. However, its demand had increased to more than 120,000 doses a week.

The U.S. government pays Regeneron $2,100 a dose for its antibody cocktail, according to White House adviser Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD.

Nunez-Smith added that COVID patients had received more than 600,000 doses of the antibodies.

Federal health officials are scrambling to find solutions amid the rising COVID cases with the delta variant's increased transmissibility.

Health authorities are now eyeing an extra dose of the COVID vaccine for all Americans. U.S. President Joe Biden urged people to get a booster shot eight months after their vaccination, according to an Aljazeera report.

The booster shots could start as early as mid or late September while waiting for authorization from FDA.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the United States has fully vaccinated 168 million people as of Aug. 16.

Vaccination rates are also rising as people see the virus as being more transmissible.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by Mary Webber

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