ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
State Rep. Mary Whiteford’s latest monthly newsletter was problematic for me.
The Casco Township legislator wrote about her solid support for use of monocolonal antibodies to treat the Coronavirus. She even made remarks about it on the floor of the State Legislature in Lansing.
While acknowledging her husband came down with the disease last April, she spoke about the more than 25,000 Covid-19 deaths in Michigan since the pandemic began, “…there’s no doubt in my mind that better and earlier access to monoclonal antibody treatments could have prevented many of those deaths. We must do all we can to ensure patients recover more quickly…
“Since April, when my husband fell severely ill to COVID, I have been fighting for better access to monoclonal antibody treatments here in Michigan. The plan we approved today (House Bill 5523) will ensure better access to that treatment, as well as other early treatment options that may come about in the coming weeks and months.”
She mentioned vaccinations very little, likely because that doesn’t fit in with Republican Party policy orthodoxy. I have learned vaccinations are far less expensive and easier to get for us unwashed masses of working people.
Healthline has reported that monoclonal antibody injections are very costly: “The cost of Regeneron’s two-drug cocktail is $1,250 per infusion, according to Kaiser Health News. The federal government currently covers this.”
USA Today reports, “The cost of GSK’s and Vir’s monoclonal antibody costs about $2,100 per infusion. This is covered by a combination of government payments, reimbursements, and GSK’s copay program.”
OK, so the government pays for this, but the Republican Party so often has insisted on being frugal with publicly funded programs.
Healthline has indicated the cost of a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine — about $20 —is also covered right now by the federal government. In other words, free to you and me.
Healthline also has reported that experts emphasize that “monoclonal antibody treatment is not a substitute for COVID-19 vaccination, which offers ease of distribution and much lower cost.
“While monoclonal antibodies can start to clear the coronavirus within hours of being infused intravenously (IV) into the body, this treatment may not work for everyone. That’s why experts recommend that people get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which is known to prevent severe illness and hospitalization due to the disease.”
Whiteford has said, “House Bill 5523 includes more than $1 billion in federal COVID relief funds already available to the state. The measure provides $134 million to buy and administer monoclonal antibodies and other promising treatments for COVID patients, which studies suggest reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by up to 85 percent for COVID-positive patients. Currently, delivery is bottlenecked at short-staffed hospitals – the House plan will expand delivery to eight additional sites across Michigan.”
To be sure, monoclonal antibody treatments are effective, especially for those who already have contracted Covid. President Donald Trump received that treatment, as did my mother-in-law. The applications proved to be life saving. But they’re expensive and should only be given to those who have come down with the disease.
Getting vaccinated is a seriously better option for three reasons — far less expensive, easier for masses of people to get them and last, but certainly not least, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
I find Ms. Whiteford’s comments troubling because she is a registered nurse and should know better. Yet she took part in the rallies on behalf of the Holland restaurant owner who refused to enforce mask mandates and she voted to withhold state funding for health departments that insisted on mask mandates for school children who at the time couldn’t get vaccinations.
This is a glaring example of party loyalty “trumping” science on public health policy.
“I find Ms. Whiteford’s comments troubling because she is a registered nurse and should know better.”
Sez who?
Cheers!!
The nightingale pledge oath! Skoal!!
Dave what a shame so many people will not get vaccinated until some one close to them dies. then they plead for everyone to get the shot. How many did they infect before dying. I am sure Mrs Whitefords state supplied health insurance pays for everything also putting her and her family in front of the line. If her husband did not catch covid I doubt she would give a SH#T about the rest of us.
This is America, we still have freedom to choose what experimental unproven drugs we inject in our bodies. By the way, if this shot is allegedly so safe and effective, then why do you care what the unvaccinated do? You are vaccinated… allegedly, you are safe right? Wise up and follow the money already… When will you folks say enough? when you had 8 or 10 experimental shots that you have no recourse on liability? The manufacturers are not liable due to the experimental status. Just my opinions.
Why is Congress and Staffers exempt from taking the jab? Though they didn’t take Obama care either………Typical do as I say not as I do……
Cheers!!
This representative is one of the politicians with means and a generous spending state health insurance plan many of her constituents couldn’t afford.
I had an acquaintance who talked about his family and his aversion to being vaccinated with an “experimental” drug. He was able to work from home. His wife opted to be vaccinated when her employer said to wear masks and be tested regularly.
Then one of his three children, all of whom attended a parochial school that made masks “a personal choice” found out they had a classmate who tested positive. The whole class was tested put on a 10-day at home quarantine while they waited for results. On a Tuesday in late September one of his children tested positive
He let his employer know about his child but decided against getting vaccinated. Two days later he called in when he felt sick. His wife took him to Spectrum Downtown on that Friday. He tested positive for COVID after being admitted and was in ICU on a ventilator by early Sunday. He died the following Sunday.
He left a wife and three children. But, by golly, he didn’t have the government telling him to get a vaccine. Ironically, his wife and children will be receiving his Social Security survivor benefits for over a decade because of his death.
In April 2020, this publication saw commenters praising the effectiveness of hydroxycholorquine that had millions fewer doses to counteract the effects of the COVID 19 virus. Yet no doctors at Henry Ford Hospital put their name on an efficacy study.
More recently, we have seen fans of treating COVID 19 virus (and variants) with anti-parasitic Ivermecten citing small test group studies in Peru and Egypt.
We also saw multiple commenters claim the COVID pandemic wasn’t that bad. We should just on with our lives. Claimed the number of victims wouldn’t be any more significant than the number of people who might perish in vehicle accidents. According to the Michigan State Police data, Allegan County saw 25 traffic fatalities in 2020. According Allegan County there have been 254 COVID deaths since the pandemic started in March 2020.
You choose to die or infect others who may die because you refuse to be vaccinated. So be it. Your choice, your death. But save your breath telling anyone who will listen that you are Pro-Life.
Well said Couchman. There’s those pesky facts again.
Well said….. are you kidding me? Thanks for making me laugh. More emotional responses, lacking logic. Welcome to liberalism.
Spot on Couchman. So many anti vaccers use God and freedom to back up their views. Freedom to infect thy neighbor or anybody else they come in contact with no remorse. God help us from the many morons who do not care about anything but themselves.
Typical Christian response from the phony man of God. In Couchman’s comment, he mentioned his story of a family that lost a loved one to this disease, but no empathy from the Christian warrior. So his logic is freedom of choice. Hmm, now does that same logic hold true for a woman?
So if people want to make their own choice on getting the vaccine I’m OK with that, it’s their choice to play Russian roulette, but don’t you dare blame the government when they’re handing you a option — it’s called a vaccine.
Gar, Sticks and stones may break my….well, you know the rest.
Also I do indeed dare to blame the government for many things. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Merry Christmas… and to all a good night.
Yes and to you Feliz Navidad& Joyeux Noel….. Skoal