COLUMBIA, S.C. — The treatment that helps COVID-19 patients fight the virus is in short supply in South Carolina. Healthcare providers are having to adjust while they wait for more supply.
According to DHEC, facilities across South Carolina have put in 13,000 orders for a treatment they use for COVID-19 patients, called monoclonal antibodies.
However, all orders are on hold until they get the next shipment.
“There will not be enough for everyone, some institutions in South Carolina have already run out,” said Dr. Helmut Albrecht with Prisma Health.
DHEC said it’s deciding which facilities get doses based on a site’s utilization rate and access.
In a statement the agency said, “we are quickly working on the details with the goal of accommodating as many South Carolinians as we can with this successful treatment.”
Next week, 4,500 doses are expected to arrive.
Dr. Albrecht said monoclonal antibodies, also known as Regeneron, gained popularity after public figures promoted it.
“The problem is not only the supply, the demand has gone up massively. So, what would usually last us months now will last us days. We only have several days on hand with the current demand,” Albrecht explained.
He said if the issue continues, they’ll have to adjust which patients get the treatment.
“We’ll become more selective. That’s the first stage, then we’ll have to look for other sources of drug. With a large system like Prisma, we can move supply around a little bit. We moved some into the Upstate yesterday, but it’s not inexhaustible and it will be exhausted if the demand stays like this," said Albrecht.
The real solution to fighting the virus, said Albrecht, is getting vaccinated.
“There's one solution to it, and it’s the vaccine. A lot of people will need to get over their concerns, the monoclonal antibodies will not fix this.”