Gov. Doug Ducey is appropriating $60 million in federal virus relief funds to help understaffed Arizona hospitals, but only if they offer monoclonal antibody treatments as well as vaccines. A spokesperson for the governor said Wednesday that this funding should help address the immense pressure Arizona hospitals are under. It will go toward contracts for 750 nurses who will work for eight weeks. The state Department of Health Services will assign the nurses to specific hospitals. A senior policy adviser says hospital eligibility will depend on their use of “proven techniques” such as COVID-19 antibody drugs and offering “vaccination at discharge." Ducey is one of several Republican governors who have been pushing for antibody treatments.
