November 27, 2024

Feds Deploying More Than 400,000 Coronavirus Antibody Treatment Courses To States

Feds #Feds

Topline

Amid concerns that hospitals across the nation will be overwhelmed by the surge in coronavirus cases, more than 400,000 antibody treatment courses have been allocated to all states and territories under Operation Warp Speed, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said at a briefing Monday.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar at a White House Coronavirus Task Force … [+] briefing on November 19.

Getty Images Key Facts

More than 250,000 courses have been delivered since November 10, with many states saying doses are available, Azar said. 

Both treatments are authorized for people with mild to moderate coronavirus cases who are at high risk of becoming severely ill and requiring hospitalization, including people 65 years old and up and people with certain medical conditions.

Trials for both have shown they are effective at preventing the disease from progressing and decrease the likelihood someone will require hospitalization, according to the FDA. 

Key Background

There have been more than 100,000 people in the hospital and 19,000 in intensive care unit beds every day since December 2, according to the Covid Tracking Project. As of December 7, the average hospital was at 90% capacity or worse, according to Covid Tracking Project analysis of Department of Health and Human Services data. Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Texas had the most counties with hospitals at or above 90% capacity. Hospital leaders are rushing to hire more doctors and nurses and recruit retired ones, set up field hospitals to increase capacity and stop or limit nonessential surgeries and procedures, per the Wall Street Journal. 

Big Number

17.88 million. That’s how many coronavirus cases there have been in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University data, and 317,858 Americans have died. 

Further Reading

COVID-19 Data Release Shows Where Hospitals Around The Country Are Filling Up (NPR)

Covid-19 Hospitalizations, Single-Day Deaths Hit New U.S. Highs (Wall Street Journal)

Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus

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