HOUSTON – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said a COVID-19 antibody therapy will be distributed to hospitals Monday.
The new drug to treat COVID patients is arriving this weekend & will be distributed to hospitals Monday.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 15, 2020
An Infectious disease specialist from UT Health-San Antonio says the drug can be a game-changer.
It should reduce hospitalizations & speed recoveryhttps://t.co/GYL2pHzD5V
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Abbott said Friday that the Texas Department of State Health Services will distribute the therapy -- called Bamlanivimab -- to hospitals across Texas. The therapy is an Eli Lilly & Company monoclonal antibody therapy. It will be distributed to acute care hospitals across the state, according to Abbott’s office.
Bamlanivimab is for outpatient use in people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at increased risk of severe disease. It has been shown to prevent hospitalizations in some patients when used before they become very sick.
These weekly shipments of doses have been provided to the state at no cost through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to Abbott’s office.
Abbott’s office said DSHS will allocate this initial distribution of Bamlanivimab based on three criteria: new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the community, new lab-confirmed COVID-19 admissions to hospitals, and total lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals.
“This initial allotment of Bamlanivimab will help health care professionals effectively treat cases of COVID-19 within their communities and aid in reducing hospitalizations,” Abbott is quoted as saying in a news release. “I thank the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for providing Texas with this crucial antibody therapy that will help keep Texans safe and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”