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Congressman Higgins calls on Louisiana to expand monoclonal antibody access

FILE - Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., arrives at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, May 14, 2021. Higgins, who represents southwest Louisiana, said he, his wife and son have contracted the coronavirus. Higgins made the announcement Sunday, July 25, 2021 on his Facebook page. The Republican representative said he and his wife previously contracted the virus in 2020 but said this time around was much more difficult. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

LAFAYETTE, La. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) delivered a letter on Wednesday to Governor John Bel Edwards calling on the State to expand the availability of Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) treatments to all medical facilities across Louisiana that are capable of administering it.

“To make mAb treatments more widely accessible, especially within our rural communities, I ask that you direct the Louisiana Department of Health to actively and aggressively promote the availability of this treatment to all medical facilities across the state, much like the State of Florida has done,” wrote Congressman Higgins“COVID-19 and Delta have overwhelmed many of Louisiana’s hospital systems, and expanding beyond hospital distribution of mAb supplies to smaller but capable facilities can only help to lessen this burden. This also allows for more local access to these treatments, which will save lives in more rural areas where hospital access is limited.”

“These therapeutics have life-saving abilities, and it is our duty as elected officials to ensure that they are rapidly and efficiently deployed where needed. I look forward to working with you on this mission,” continued Congressman Higgins.

The full letter is available here.