Viral image of Florida patient fuels DeSantis reviews

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A shocking image of COVID-19 patients in Florida posted on Reddit this week sparked criticism of the state’s Republican governor.

The photo, first reported by First Coast News, shows people lying on the floor awaiting monoclonal therapy at a Jacksonville library. The library is one of 15 sites recently established by the state to provide free antibody therapy to COVID patients.

The image shows two people lying on the ground. One, a woman, is covered with a thin layer of paper. The Reddit user who posted the image captioned it: “Everyone please be careful whether you are vaccinated or not. My husband (vaccinated, but positive) waited over 2 hours for monoclonal therapy and he says he’s never seen people so sick, moaning, crying, unable to move.

City officials have confirmed the image is real, First Coast News reports.

Louie Lopez, who took the photo, told the Florida Times-Union that the disturbing image “does not reflect how much they suffered.” Lopez added that the woman in the photo crawled on the ground as the line moved forward. He said the staff eventually got wheelchairs for the two.

The city has since increased the number of wheelchairs at the facility and added a sign telling people not to sit or lie on the floor. “If you need immediate medical attention, please alert a staff member,” he adds.

At first, Florida defied expectations by having lower than expected COVID diagnoses and deaths. That has changed since the highly contagious delta variant began to ravage the nation. Florida is now one of the epicenters of the pandemic. In recent weeks, the state has accounted for nearly one in five cases.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is a staunch opponent of pandemic restrictions. The state was among the first to reopen after the lockdown last year. The governor, a sidekick of former President Donald Trump, has banned masking requirements, including in schools. It also banned cruise ships from requiring vaccines. The state is currently involved in a dispute over the two decisions.

DeSantis acknowledged that Florida escaped the worst of the pandemic early on. Now that his condition is grappling with the delta variant, he denies all blame.

Social media users don’t buy it.

“Maybe I should buy stocks today for all the related monoclonal pharmos… oh sorry, this classy move is only for Governor Deathspreader scumbag donors,” one person in the photo on Reddit commented. The Associated Press reports that one of DeSantis’ major donors has invested heavily in the maker of Regeneron, the antibody treatment.

Another added: “Every day he pimps a press release for the opening of a new monoclonal center, it’s like he’s a paid spokesperson.”

Meanwhile, Regeneron’s stock is up more than 3% today, and nearly 10% since DeSatan started backing her and her donor Ken Griffin.

– Art Martin (@ gartmartin9) August 19, 2021

Many people have suggested that the public should see more pictures depicting the reality of COVID.

“People need to see it,” one said. “Enough of pampering.”

The woman who took the photo says her husband is doing much better. Breakthrough infections such as hers when a vaccinated person contracts the virus are significantly less likely to result in hospitalization or death.

* First published: August 20, 2021, 10:03 a.m. CDT

Claire Goforth

Claire Goforth is an award-winning journalist who covers politics and justice from her home base in Jacksonville, Florida. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from regional alt-weeklies to the Guardian.

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