HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Hundreds of people showed up to get the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy treatment in Hillsborough County Friday.
Doctors say if you get the treatment early enough, it can boost your body’s antibody response and reduce your chance of getting hospitalized by 70%.
The treatment was available at hospitals, but now you can get it at state sites for free.
Tweets from the county and the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County Friday said the Hillsborough County site reached its daily capacity just before 2:30 p.m.
Kevin Watler with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County said they decided to take walkups until 5:00 p.m. but they strongly encourage making an appointment.
He also stressed that getting vaccinated is the number one treatment.
“I was talking with folks 30 to 50 years old, they have symptoms and they all told me they didn’t get the vaccine and they wish they did,” Watler said. “Vaccination is the number one way to get protection because if you are fully vaccinated you have a much less chance of ending up in the hospital or getting COVID-19.”
The treatment site is located at Kings Forest Park at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 8008 East Chelsea Street in Tampa. Another site opened at the Fasano Center, 11611 Denton Avenue in Hudson. Both locations are open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm seven days a week.
To find locations to receive monoclonal antibody treatments, you can visit floridahealthcovid19.gov. To make an appointment at a state site, visit this patient portal. To find other monoclonal antibody sites, visit the National Infusion Center Association’s website.
