El Paso infusion center runs out of monoclonal antibody treatments for Omicron variant

EL PASO, Texas – The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said Monday that the infusion center in El Paso - as well as those in Austin, Fort Worth and San Antonio - have exhausted their supply of sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody that's effective against the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Due to a national shortage, the federal government won't be able to ship any additional supplies of this monoclonal antibody treatment to Texas until sometime in January.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimate that the Omicron variant is causing more than 90% of the current Covid-19 cases in Texas.

Until now, sotrovimab has been effective in fighting against the Omicron variant and keeping those who test positive for it out of the hospital.

Other monoclonal antibodies have not shown to be effective against the Omicron variant, but the infusion centers will continue to offer those antibodies for people diagnosed with a non-Omicron case of Covid.