Gov. Ron DeSantis made an appearance in Pensacola on Friday to announce the state was setting up more COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment sites, with the first coming to Escambia County next week.
The announcement came after the Escambia County Commissionand Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinsonmade a request for a state-run treatment site this week. The County Commission got word Thursday night that the state had approved the request.
DeSantis said Friday that the state will pass 50,000 monoclonal antibody treatments administered at its 21 sites and touted the state's program to make the treatment more widely available.
"It was the type of thing where if a physician referred you, then you would get it," DeSantis said. "A lot of people didn't know about it, and a lot of physicians even didn't know about it, to be honest with you. So even though we had this available, it became apparent to us that too often, the message was to people, hey, if you getCOVID, just go home and hope you don't get deathly ill. Our view here is those days are over. If you are somebody particularly in a high-risk categorywho contracts COVID, you have an opportunity to get early treatment with monoclonal antibodies, which have proven to be very effective."
Monoclonal antibodies have been shown to be effective at preventing serious illness in someone recently infected with COVID-19 if administered within three to five days of that person contracting the virus.
Local hospitalshave been administering the treatment, but officials have said they could treat only about 120 people a day and the demand in the area was closer to 300 people a day, which prompted the county and city to request a state-run site.
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To receive the treatment, people must be at least 12 years old, have either contracted COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with COVID-19, and fall into a high-risk category for severe illness or hospitalization from the virus. Those include, but are not limited to, being over the age of 65,diabetes, obesity, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, being immune suppressed, sickle cell disease or cardiovascular disease.
Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is free to anyone, even those without insurance.
The new site will be at the Bayview Community Center at 2001 East Lloyd St. in Pensacola. It will operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments can be made online at patientportalfl.com.
DeSantis said the treatment wasn't about taking away the need for vaccines, which he said were good for protection.
"But you've also got to have an ability to treat as well," DeSantis said. "And so, there's prevention, but then also the treatment. And for far too long, the treatment was neglected."
At the press conference, several individuals shared their own experience with getting the monoclonal antibody treatment, saying they felt much better quickly after receiving the treatment, and in some cases the same day.
Yvette McLellan said both she and her husband contracted COVID-19 and got the antibody treatment at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital, which ended their symptoms.
"I encourage you all to go and get this antibody infusion as soon as you start feeling anything, because the sooner you get it done, the faster you're going to start feeling better," McLellan said. "And that'll keep us all out of the hospital."
The Florida Department of Health reported that 2,345 people died from COVID-19 in the past week, bringing the total number of deaths to 46,324.
In June, the state stopped releasing county-level death date. Earlier this week, DeSantis said he thought data should be public and he said Friday that the Department of Health is still looking into the issue.
DeSantis also reiterated his position that businesses should not request vaccine status from their customers and that the state will fine any business, school or local government $5,000 if they require someone to prove their vaccination status.
"At the end of the day, my philosophy is, as governor, my job is to protect your individual freedom," DeSantis said. "My job is not to protect corporate freedom. That is not what I'm here for."
Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.
