Regeneron ineffective on Omicron
The Omicron mutation is causing a lot of breakthrough infections in both vaccinated and previously recovered patients, and while the variant is not especially lethal for young people, it is still dangerous to the elderly and immunocompromised.
The only worthwhile antibody treatment in the US, the Regeneron cocktail, doesn’t work against Omicron. AstraZeneca’s cocktail does appear to work, but it is scarce and not approved in the US.
That makes prompt deployment of the anti-viral Paxlovid vital if we are to avoid a catastrophic outbreak next month. Paxlovid is a protease inhibitor and is not affected by the mutations to the spike protein.
Already, COVID has killed 1 out of every 100 Americans over 65, and if the FDA keeps dragging its feet, the Social Security shortfall problem will be solved by spring.
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
…”if the FDA keeps dragging its feet”….
I’ve seen more complaints of this type from different circles. If there is a valid reason for the delay, then the FDA should tell us. If not, and I am having a hard time typing this 😉😇, then I’m with you.
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Looks like authorization is forthcoming.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/586767-fda-to-authorize-covid-pills-this-week-bloomberg
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I hope that is correct
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It was a Hill post based on a Bloomberg story, so I am thinking it is reliable.
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https://www.cato.org/blog/american-patients-held-hostage-day-71?fbclid=IwAR0KNc27QEwn6Y5PMuAL05wxiYiHajdXzPpyfFUlVc0uL4DIIJ2YkOkcq6U
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Little mention of therapeutics in the president’s speech today. How long must ignoring the therapeutic toolkit go on before media and the public start demanding answers?
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Perhaps no longer than the previous president took from the time he said he knew the pandemic was s serious and he told the rest of us and acted on it.
Stable genius that he was, of course.
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DONE!
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/586941-fda-authorizes-pfizer-pill-to-treat-covid-19-in-major-advance
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