Gov. DeSantis lauds monoclonal antibodies, notes frequency of ‘breakthrough cases’

Gov. Ron DeSantis lauded monoclonal antibodies Friday as a means to remedy the “waning efficacy” of COVID-19 vaccines.

Monoclonal antibodies are lab-created antibodies intended to mitigate COVID-19 symptoms and complications.

Speaking in Pensacola Friday with Republican Sen. Doug Broxson, DeSantis praised the injectable cocktail while challenging the term “breakthrough cases.”

The fully vaccinated, DeSantis contended, are testing positive “more and more” frequently.

“It’s not really a rare thing to get infected at this point,” DeSantis said, pointing to health data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that shows a slight decrease in efficacy against hospitalization among the elderly.

In recent weeks, DeSantis has traveled across the state highlighting the cost-free treatment and opening administration sites. At many events including Friday in Pensacola, recipients often highlight the experience and recovery after a dose of the antibodies.

The central message: The treatment is saving lives and mitigating hospitalizations.

Speaking to reporters, DeSantis lamented the treatment went underutilized during the pandemic’s early stages.

“This should have been something that was screamed from the rooftops from the HHS and CDC since last December,” DeSantis said. “Can you imagine if 100% of Americans knew that this was something that was available? You know how many people we would have kept that in the hospital? You know many people that would not have died over the last nine months?

In all, the state has set up roughly 21 treatment sites and treated about 45,000 people since mid-August.

While the treatment is proving effective, DeSantis said vaccines remain the best way to protest oneself.

There’s a balance, he suggested, between prevention and treatment.

“If this is something that everyone understands is available, you will absolutely reduce the number of people being admitted to hospitals, you will absolutely take weight off the hospital system and yes, you will save lives,” DeSantis said of the treatment.

Monoclonal antibody treatment is free.

More details and the locations of treatment sites are available online.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the injectable antibody cocktail in August as an early COVID-19 treatment for people at high risk for severe infections.