Texas runs out of monoclonal antibody treatment until January

AUSTIN, Texas - Regional infusion centers in Texas have exhausted their supply of the monoclonal antibody, sotrovimab, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas DSHS). 

Federal authorities will ship additional courses of sotrovimab to Texas in January. The shipments will go to the regional infusion centers in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and The Woodlands.

People who had appointments scheduled this week will be contacted.

"Due to national shortage from the federal government of the monoclonal antibody, sotrovimab, regional infusion centers across Texas have exhausted supply until January," Texas DSHS said on Twitter. 

People with COVID-19 infections at high risk of hospitalization and death should contact their health care provider to discuss treatment options, according to Texas DSHS. Everyone should protect themselves from severe COVID-19 by getting vaccinated as soon as possible, getting a booster as soon as they are eligible, and continuing to take precautions to prevent being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 and spreading it to others.  

Other monoclonal antibodies have reportedly not shown to be effective against the Omicron variant, which now accounts for more than 90 percent of new cases. The infusion centers will continue to offer those antibodies as prescribed by health care providers for people diagnosed with a non-Omicron case of COVID-19, according to Texas DSHS.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized two new oral antiviral drugs. The oral drugs will be available soon, though they are expected to have a limited initial supply.

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