Dr. Anthony Fauci encouraged COVID-19 patients to receive a “much-underutilized intervention” during a press briefing Wednesday.
“Early treatment with anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies can reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization or death by 70 to 85%,” said Fauci, the chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden. “It is important to emphasize that this must be done early in infection and not wait, of course, until a person is sick enough to be hospitalized. That’s when you get the best effect.”
Fauci: Early use of monoclonal antibodies can cut risk of hospitalization, death up to 85% https://t.co/tkHgQBuzPh pic.twitter.com/FS3fq4r62p
— New York Post (@nypost) August 24, 2021
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced backlash for his recommendation of monoclonal antibodies treatment earlier in August. The Associated Press (AP) seemed to imply DeSantis had a vested interest in supporting the treatment, according to Fox News. (RELATED: Florida Pushes Antibody Treatments After Record COVID-19 Hospitalizations)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates, is now touting a COVID-19 antibody treatment in which a top donor’s company has invested millions of dollars. DeSantis has been promoting the treatment as virus cases spike. https://t.co/0TwgYlONVh
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 18, 2021
AP also stated in their report, “experts agree that keeping people out of the hospital is a top priority, but say vaccines — not treatments for people after they get sick – are the best way to do that.”