DeSantis touts monoclonal antibody plan, calls other state’s COVID policies ‘insanity’

 Gov. Ron DeSantis declared he is “committed” to ensuring new COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment will be administered to vulnerable Floridians.

The long-acting AstraZeneca therapy known as Evusheld will be available to moderately to severely immunocompromised people like cancer patients, he said.

“We are committed to doing the monoclonal,” DeSantis said Friday during a news conference, according to ABC affiliate Local 10. “We will make sure the dose sites are available.”

The Sunshine State has just 3,100 doses of the antibody drug, favored by opponents COVID-19 vaccines, which will be given to the state’s hospitals and clinics that are performing such treatments, multiple outlets reported.

“This monoclonal is a new tool for some of our most vulnerable Floridians and we are happy to make this available throughout the state,” DeSantis said in a press release. 

“Florida has been a leader in advocating for early treatment of COVID-19 and the availability of this new monoclonal is a continuation of the state’s efforts.”

The Food and Drug Administration earlier this month gave emergency use authorization to the AstraZeneca drug for those over 12 with compromised immune systems.

Florida has just 3,100 doses of Evusheld.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis has been an outspoken opponent of vaccine and mask mandates

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DeSantis, an outspoken opponent of vaccine and mask mandates, vowed not to replicate restrictive COVID-19 precautions enacted in other states.

“We are not going to indulge in any of the insanity that you are starting to see again in other parts of the country,” he said during the news conference, according to the Star-Banner. “A lot of those heavy-handed policies have been total failures, and we’re certainly not going to be indulging that.” 

https://nypost.com/2021/12/19/gov-desantis-touts-covid-monoclonal-antibody-drug-for-florida/