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The Florida Department of Health announced that it is closing all monoclonal antibody treatment sites in the state.

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• The FDA announced on Monday that it is no longer permitting the use of Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab (used together) as well as the combination of Casirivimab and Imdevimab known as REGEN-COV, or Regeneron.

• “Unfortunately, as a result of this abrupt decision made by the federal government, all monoclonal antibody state sites will be closed until further notice,” the Florida Department of Health said in a statement.

• The FDA said that since “data show these treatments are highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant,” and because omicron is believed to account for more than 99% of current COVID-19 cases, the treatments are no longer authorized.

• It explained that this was meant to prevent side effects from treatments they do not believe will work.

• “In the future, if patients in certain geographic regions are likely to be infected or exposed to a variant that is susceptible to these treatments, then use of these treatments may be authorized in these regions,” the FDA said.

SOURCE: FDA