At a press conference on Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called for more monoclonal treatments to be sent to Florida from the federal government. DeSantis said the vaccine is not preventing COVID transmission like they were marketed to do. The most recent variant spike, omicron, is the least severe variant of COVID.
DeSantis has previously worked around the federal government in providing Floridians with the monoclonal treatment as he purchased directly from the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) last year. And last month, the governor announced one of the newest developments in the fight against COVID with a new preventative monoclonal treatment exclusively for the immunocompromised.
“This monoclonal is a new tool for some of our most vulnerable Floridians and we are happy to make this available throughout the state,” said DeSantis. “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. Florida will continue to use a comprehensive approach to respond to COVID-19 and promote healthy living through Healthier You.”
The latest call for more monoclonal treatments comes less than a week Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo penned a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services claiming the President Joe Biden administration is “actively preventing” monoclonals from being distributed.
Ladapo spoke alongside DeSantis on Monday and said Floridians should be able to make up their own mind regarding whether or not they wish to receive the COVID vaccine, even thought the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the definition of a vaccine.
DeSantis said the hysteria for the latest COVID spike is leading to damaging consequences.
“In terms of Florida, you look what’s going on in other states, they’re letting hysteria drive them to doing really damaging things. We thought that people had learned,” DeSantis said. “They’re closing schools, they’re doing things that should not be done. That is not the way you deal with this.”
DeSantis also took a swipe at Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) for being spotted maskless while vacationing in Miami. Ocasio-Cortez is the latest notable pro-mandate, pro-lockdown Democrat to visit Florida after fleeing their home state.
“If I had a dollar for every lockdown politician who decided to escape to Florida over the last two years, I’d be a pretty doggone wealthy man, let me tell you,” DeSantis said. “I mean, congresspeople, mayors, governors, I mean you name it.”
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at the Florida Capital Star and the Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
Photo “press conference on monoclonal antibodies” by Ron DeSantis.
