SC health officials say they now have enough monoclonal antibodies to treat covid patients.

Dr. Edward Simmer, director of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, said the Federal Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency antibody treatments.

Research shows that the treatments reduce the chance of severe disease, hospitalization and death by 70% and shorten symptom durations by an average of 4 days.

Monoclonal antibody treatments may help those in Lexington County who:

• Tested positive and had symptoms for 10 days or less

• Are at high risk of getting more serious symptoms

• Are not hospitalized or requiring supplemental oxygen

The FDA appoved 3 mAb treatments: etesevimab and bamlanivimab, REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab), and sotrovimab.

These antibodies directly block the effect of the virus in patients who are already infected.

Treatment must be ordered by a doctor or medical provider.

The state has 11,534 ​mAb treatments available.

To date, 32,686 SC covid patients have been treated with the antibodies.