Manatee Memorial is the latest monoclonal antibody treatment site in Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Saturday in Bradenton that Manatee Memorial Hospital will be the latest site in Florida to offer free monoclonal antibodies treatments, such as Regeneron, for anyone who has tested positive for COVID or who has been exposed to someone with COVID and is in a high-risk group.

DeSantis said up to 300 treatments will be available daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the hospital, which is located at 206 Second St. E. The governor’s office is supplying the staff.

“Monoclonals are different than vaccines,” DeSantis said. “Vaccines are designed to prevent you from being infected, but these more pertinently are to prevent you from becoming seriously ill. Regeneron shows about a 70% reduction in hospitalization for people who do this early.”

DeSantis is touring the state where new sites are being opened pushing an, “Early treatment, saves lives,” campaign to make Floridians aware that Regeneron is most effective early after testing positive.

Monoclonals received emergency use authorizations around the same time the vaccines did.

“Obviously, (the vaccines) are something that got much more fanfare,” DeSantis said, even though most hospitals have been using the treatments since the vaccines began.

DeSantis said up until now, patients needing monoclonal treatments were required to get a doctor’s referral.

“We’ve now dispensed with that,” DeSantis said. “So if someone is COVID positive, you can make an appointment and come directly.”

Go to patientportalfl.com or floridahealthcovid19.gov to reserve a spot.

DeSantis said Regeneron is shown to be effective against the COVID-19 Delta variant.

“This is the best of the private sector and government coming together to help solve a problem,” said State Sen. Jim Boyd, R-District 21, which includes Manatee County.

The treatment is available to anyone over the age of 12 who has either contracted COVID or been exposed to someone with COVID and is considered to be at high-risk for severe illness and hospitalization. Vaccine status does not affect eligibility.

High-risk patients should receive treatment if exposed to the disease or if you test positive within three to five days of the result.

Monoclonal antibodies have not been shown to benefit infected persons once they are hospitalized, according to the initial FDA authorization, and in fact the therapy could worsen the condition of patients who are receiving high-flow oxygen or are on a ventilator.

DeSantis fielded other questions from reporters, including about Sarasota County School District’s decision to defy his opt-out mask executive order.

DeSantis signed his executive order on July 30 with the intention to ensure parents have a say in whether their child wears a mask at school. Sarasota School District voted to defy that mandate on Friday and became the sixth school district in Florida to require masks at schools.

DeSantis, on Saturday, said Sarasota’s decision, “violates the parents bill of rights in Florida, which is state law. Ultimately, this is a decision for the parents. I have young kids. The U.S. is the only major country that is saying that this has to be forced on people by the government.”

The governor was also asked how he feels about the way President Joe Biden has handled the final withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“I think it’s humiliating for our country,” DeSantis said.

Biden is being criticized for taking action that has led to chaos, Americans being trapped in Taliban-controlled territory and for not informing NATO allies of his plan.

DeSantis, a Navy veteran who served in Iraq during the War on Terror, said, “I understand you can’t stay there forever, but you have to do that by protecting Americans that are there first and foremost. We have thousands and thousands of Americans who have nowhere to go. They can’t get out from behind Taliban lines and I fear that the worse is yet to come.”

DeSantis said leaving Americans behind enemy lines and “gifting” the Taliban billions of dollars in advanced U.S. military equipment is, “disgraceful.”

With Manatee County being home to the highest number of veterans in Florida per capita, DeSantis’ message to local veterans is: “It’s not their fault. This has been a political failure ... There needs to be accountability. This is not the way the United States behaves abroad and it’s a gut punch for a lot of veterans.”

This story was originally published August 21, 2021 at 3:16 PM.