Governor Abbott, TDEM Establish COVID-19 Antibody Infusion Center In Amarillo
Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), in partnership with the City of Amarillo, will launch a new COVID-19 therapeutic infusion center in Amarillo. The infusion center will begin accepting patients tomorrow and has been provided with monoclonal antibodies to treat outpatient cases of COVID-19 who have a referral from a doctor. This treatment is available at no cost to the patient.
“Our state agencies continue to work closely with local partners to expand access to COVID-19 antibody therapeutics across the Lone Star State," said Governor Abbott. "The new Amarillo facility will bolster our ongoing efforts to ensure Texans in the Panhandle who test positive for COVID-19 have access to this free and effective treatment."
“I’m proud of the partnerships behind this infusion center,” said Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson. “In response to a spike in cases and the start of the school year, state and city community partners are finding solutions to decrease COVID hospitalizations.”
Governor Abbott, TDEM, and the Texas Department of State Health Services have established and expanded antibody infusion centers in communities across the state over the past several months. COVID-19 antibody infusion treatment can prevent a patient's condition from worsening and requiring hospital care. These facilities also help increase bed capacity in hospitals so that resources are available for the most ill patients. The State deployed similar measures beginning in November 2020 to communities across Texas.
These state-sponsored infusion centers are in addition to the infusion treatment centers provided by more than 200 private health providers across the state.
Antibody infusion centers are currently operating in the following communities, with more coming online in the coming days:
• Amarillo (TDEM)
• Austin (DSHS)
• Beaumont (TDEM)
• Corpus Christi (DSHS)
• Edinburg (TDEM)
• Fort Worth (DSHS)
• Harlingen (TDEM)
• Houston (DSHS)
• Laredo (DSHS)
• Livingston (TDEM)
• Lubbock (TDEM)
• McKinney (TDEM)
• Nacogdoches (TDEM)
• Odessa (TDEM)
• San Antonio (DSHS)
• Tyler (TDEM)
• The Woodlands (DSHS)
• Victoria (TDEM)
The treatment is free and available to Texans who test positive for COVID-19 and have a doctor's referral. Texans can visit meds.tdem.texas.gov to find a therapeutic provider near them.