Florida Opens Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Center At C.B. Smith Park In Pembroke Pines
PEMBROKE PINES (CBSMiami) – A new monoclonal antibody treatment center is now open at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines and another is open Palm Beach County.
Gov. Ron DeSantis held two news conferences on Wednesday afternoon to make the announcements.
The state-run facility, at C.B. Smith Park, will be able to treat up to 300 patients per day and will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. seven days a week.
The facility, at West Gate Park in West Palm Beach, will also be able to treat up 300 patients per day and is open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. seven days a week.
The governor stated that more sites would be open statewide including a location in Miami-Dade County by the end of the week.
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There are sites already open in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Merritt Island.
Monoclonal antibodies are man-made proteins that act like human antibodies in the immune system.
The state is using Regeneron which the FDA has authorized for emergency use as post-exposure prevention for COVID-19. However, the FDA says Regeneron is not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.
The treatment provides a temporary, but immediate boost to the immune system which can help reduce chances that a patient will develop serious complications.
DeSantis calls the treatment a "tool in the toolbox" that should be used.
It can be prescribed by health care providers 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.
High risk patients include the those who are elderly, immunocompromised, morbid obese, suffer from heart disease, chronic kidney disease, lung conditions and sickle cell.
Regeneron is delivered intravenously or by injection.
The treatment is free. It is available without a prescription or referral by a healthcare provider.
In clinical trials, monoclonal antibody treatment showed a 70% reduction in hospitalization and death, according to the Florida Department of Health. Visit patientportalfl.com to make an appointment.
More information and a map of other monoclonal antibody sites is available at floridahealthcovid19.gov. You can also call 850-344-9637.