White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday denied that that the Biden Regime was punishing red states by slashing their supplies of Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatments, haughtily telling Newsmax reporter Emerald Robinson that the claim was “inaccurate.” However, in her answer, the press secretary made a few inaccurate assertions herself.
Two months ago, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was castigated by Democrats for promoting the monoclonal antibodies to treat patients with COVID-19. Initially, they argued that the treatments didn’t work. Eventually, they admitted that the therapy did work, but was “not the path out of the pandemic.”
Now, even the governor’s biggest detractors have had to admit that the treatments have been highly successful at fighting the virus.
According to the Washington Post, the Regime is now seeking to “stave off shortages” of the drug by “purchasing 1.4 million additional doses,” tasking the Department of Health and Human Services with setting the rules for distribution rather than “allowing states, medical facilities and doctors to order them directly.”
DeSantis said Thursday that his state has since seen “a dramatic reduction” in the treatments.
“We are facing a massive cut in antibody treatments. Abruptly,” the governor said during a Fort Lauderdale press conference with healthcare providers. The governor announced that he would be buying the treatments directly from the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), circumventing the HHS process.
Florida's @GovRonDeSantis confirming this– saying today he will seek to buy monoclonal therapies directly from GSK, circumventing the HHS process. pic.twitter.com/YX8MKBxAEd
— Forrest Saunders (@FBSaunders) September 16, 2021
During the White House Press briefing, Robinson pressed Psaki on this issue.
“He [Joe Biden] said on September 9 that he was going to send 50 percent more supply of monoclonal antibodies to states, yet the Biden administration is cutting supplies from red states by 50 percent,” Robinson said, pointing out that Florida was expecting to get 70,000 doses this week, and are now only getting 30,000.
“This is not just for unvaccinated people,” Robinson continued. “In South Florida, half the people who are seeking this treatment are fully vaccinated, so why is the Biden administration cutting these supplies?
“That’s not accurate, so let me give you the accurate information,” Psaki intoned. “First of all, we are increasing our distribution this month by 50 percent,” Psaki told the reporters, adding haughtily that for the sake of clarity she wanted everyone to understand the “facts.”
“I know you all like facts,” she sneered.
Reading from her notes, Psaki continued: “Monoclonal antibodies are lifesaving therapies that are used *after* infection to prevent more severe outcomes. So clearly the way to protect people and save more lives is to get them vaccinated so they don’t get COVID to begin with,” she said.
“Over the last month, due to the rising cases due to the Delta variant, and the lower vaccination rates in some of these states like Florida, like Texas. Just seven states are making up 70 percent of the orders. Our supply is not unlimited and we believe it should be equitable,” she said. “We’re not going to give a greater percentage to Florida over Oklahoma,” Psaki claimed.
REPORTER: "Why is the Biden administration cutting" antibody treatments in Florida?@PressSec: "That is not accurate… Our supply is not unlimited and we believe it should be equitable… We're not going to give a greater percentage to Florida over Oklahoma." pic.twitter.com/K8P41ZTnRc
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 16, 2021
For a person who has obvious disdain for inaccurate information, Psaki’s answer seemed to be riddled with it.
For one thing, monoclonal antibodies aren’t used only after someone contracts COVID, as she said. The treatment is used prophylactically, as well.
Moreover, Gov. DeSantis revealed on Thursday that 52 percent of the COVID patients in Broward County who have received the treatment are fully vaccinated. The numbers were higher for seniors.
“It’s interesting, at our Broward site, 52 percent of the patients that have received treatment have been vaccinated. Sixty-nine percent of those over 60 who received treatment at the Broward site, have been vaccinated,” he said during his presser.
“At Miami-Dade almost 60 percent of everybody that’s been treated at the Tropical Park site has been vaccinated, and 73 percent of patients treated at the state’s Tropical Park site that are over the age of 60 have been vaccinated,” he added.
This information strongly contradicts Psaki’s assertion that people “won’t get COVID to begin with” if they are vaccinated. Of course they are.
The vaccines don’t prevent people from getting COVID, but it’s supposed to minimize the symptoms. Unfortunately, that may not be the case for much longer due to a dangerous medical phenomenon called Antibody Dependent Enhancement or ADE.
Medical researchers have for months been waving red flags about ADE, warning that it can make vaccinated people more infectious, and more susceptible to infection from the virus.
Psaki was also wrong about Florida’s vaccination rate.
Florida’s vaccination numbers put them at 17 out of 50 states, making them one of the more vaccine compliant states. Over 60 percent of Floridians ages 18-64 have been fully vaccinated. Almost 90 percent of seniors over the age of 65 have been fully vaccinated.
Psaki had inaccurately claimed that Florida has one of the “lower vaccination rates.”
Hopefully, the White House press secretary will do her homework, and come back with more accurate information on Friday.