Jackson’s monoclonal antibody drug is in short supply. Protect yourself so you don’t need it | Opinion

Everyone was hoping for a return to normal in 2022, especially exhausted nurses, doctors and other caregivers leading South Florida through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obviously the virus had other plans, and we have set sad, new records in the number of hospitalized COVID patients this month. Even though roughly half of them are hospitalized for non-COVID reasons, the relentless grave illness continues to take its toll on our staff and resources.

New treatments are being added to our toolbox every day, including cutting-edge medications. Gov. Ron DeSantis intervened to provide Jackson Health System with 840 doses of the new Evusheld monoclonal antibody, which will help the most critically vulnerable patients survive infection. As one of the nation’s largest organ-transplant programs and a large-scale provider of cancer care, Jackson will immediately need to use this treatment for our highest-risk patients.

But the latest treatments are not a substitute for the easiest and most reliable ways to protect yourself and your loved ones: Everyone over age 5 who is eligible should get vaccinated, follow the recommended booster schedule and wear a mask with indoor groups. Even if you’ve recently recovered from COVID, vaccination provides extra protection, especially with the constant risk of new variants.

Like any prescription, Evusheld is only being prescribed by our doctors for the patients whose vulnerability and illness are most likely to respond to this drug. Based on the treatment and the supply, most patients should not expect to receive it in the immediate future, and it should never be seen as an alternative to vaccination.

We all need to avoid using hospital emergency rooms to treat mild COVID symptoms, especially as the omicron surge pushes our capacity toward its limits. For most vaccinated people, a breakthrough infection will lead to a few lousy days in bed.

It’s tempting to dive into the internet’s bottomless ocean of information to find the latest drug approval or experimental treatment. Some of them eventually will be widely available and help end the pandemic; others will never make it into widespread use. With the omicron surge expected to retreat as quickly as it invaded, we should plan to weather the next few weeks mostly with the tools we already have, which are proven to be effective.

Carlos A. Migoya is the chief executive officer of Jackson Health System.