Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last week announced the opening of a new monoclonal antibody therapy treatment site in West Palm Beach.
This site has the capacity to serve 300 patients per day and will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The new site is located at:
Westgate Park and Recreation Center
West Palm Beach, Florida 33409
“Today, we opened a fifth antibody treatment site in less than one week, with the newest site located in West Palm Beach,” said Governor Ron DeSantis during a press conference on August 18.
“While I am proud to report that 88% of seniors in Palm Beach County have chosen to get vaccinated, this treatment site will further our dual-pronged approach of prevention and treatment through vaccinations and therapeutics.”
DeSantis — who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates and vaccine passports — has been promoting antibody treatments heavily in recent weeks, as Florida battles a rise in COVID-19 cases.
He first began talking about it as a treatment last year but ramped up the call for Floridians to seek out monoclonal antibody treatments in August as coronavirus cases spiked. He’s held news conferences at treatment sites touting the effectiveness of the drug if people receive treatment soon after testing positive.
“Early treatment with these monoclonal antibodies – Regeneron and others – have proven to radically reduce the chances that somebody ends up being hospitalized,” DeSantis said Monday at a treatment site in Orlando. “Reducing hospital admissions has got to be a top priority.”
The monoclonal antibody treatments are available to individuals 12 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are at high risk for severe illness and hospitalization.
The monoclonal antibody treatments are available at no cost to eligible individuals. To make an appointment, click here.
The antibodies help the immune system recognize and respond effectively to the virus. According to the treatment guidelines, they should be administered as soon as possible after diagnosis.
