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Florida's hospitals are buckling under the strain of the COVID surge say executives: Photo emerges of patients lying on the FLOOR waiting to be treated

A disturbing image from a treatment center in Florida depicts the struggle to keep up with the influx of Covid-19 patients as the Delta variant spreads through the state.

A photo of sick patients lying on the floor of the Jacksonville Public Library awaiting COVID antibody treatments has gone viral as Florida. The state continues to set records with more than 17,000 COVID hospitalizations and 3,600 COVID patients in intensive care units, based on data comes from 232 hospitals.  

The viral photo shows two patients curled up on the floor of the library. One woman is lying face down covered in a thin blue medical gown. The other is against a wall with a woman bending over her.

Louie Lopez, who took the photo Wednesday, told ABC News that he was shocked when he was admitted for treatment before either of the people on the floor even though his only symptom was a headache.

A viral photo taken Wednesday by Louis Lopez shows sick patients in Florida lying on the floor of the Jacksonville Public Library as they wait for COVID antibody treatments

A viral photo taken Wednesday by Louis Lopez shows sick patients in Florida lying on the floor of the Jacksonville Public Library as they wait for COVID antibody treatments

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been a proponent of monoclonal antibody treatments since last year and has recently been expanding the availability of the treatment

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been a proponent of monoclonal antibody treatments since last year and has recently been expanding the availability of the treatment

As hospitals have become inundated with new patients, the state has turned to outside locations to administer COVID treatments

As hospitals have become inundated with new patients, the state has turned to outside locations to administer COVID treatments 

'These people would come in and they just felt so horrible, they would lay down,' Lopez told ABC News on Thursday. She said staff members at the site eventually attended to the woman in the foreground of the picture after some time, covering her with the blue gown 'to warm her up,' before they 'poured her into a wheelchair.'

After the photo circulated, Jacksonville city officials confirmed that they are working to collect more wheelchairs at sites providing Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatments as more patients need care.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been a proponent of the antibody treatment, recently expanding the availability of the treatments throughout the state with mobile units. 

'There's clear benefits to this early treatment for keeping people out of the hospital and reducing mortality,' DeSantis said during a news conference last week. The governor has been a proponent of the treatment since last year when it was used on Donald Trump when he tested positive for COVID.

DeSantis recently began pushing out mobile units to provide antibody treatments throughout the state of Florida

DeSantis recently began pushing out mobile units to provide antibody treatments throughout the state of Florida 

The Washington Post reported that one of DeSantis' top donors, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, is an investor in the drug sold by Regeneron. Citadel bought $15.9 million in shares of Regeneron Pharmaceutical Inc., according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Griffin himself has donated $10.75 million to a political committee that supports DeSantis.

However, it is not uncommon for hedge funds such as Citadel to maintain a wide range of investments in their portfolio. BlackRock, which has donated to Democratic and Republican candidates, has a larger share holding than Citadel.

When given within 10 days of a patient's initial symptoms, Regeneron has been proven to cut rates of hospitalization and death by nearly 70%. While the treatment has seen positive results, it is still not as effective as the vaccines which are proven to be 95% effective against hospitalization.

Florida is currently experiencing an alarming spike in COVID cases and hospitalizations. The number of COVID patients in intensive care unit beds has leapt 50% from August 5. The 3,610 COVID patients in ICU beds represent 55% of the states ICU beds. 

The Sunshine State has reported that 50% of the total population is fully vaccinated equating to 10,746,993 people. This falls behind the CDC's goal of a 70% vaccination rate in order to achieve herd immunity.

As of August 13, Florida saw 149,6262 cases increasing 13% from the previous week. COVID patients being admitted to the hospital jumped 19% with 15,317 people.

The increase in patients is putting a strain on hospitals with several reporting supply shortages and 19% of hospitals struggling with staff shortages. Vaccination rates dropped 8% in the state but remained higher than the national average.

The entire state is currently experiencing high transmission rates as the Delta variant spreads quickly accounting for 69% of cases.

This comes amid DeSantis' battle with local and federal government officials, sparked by his executive order instructing the state's health and education departments to issue rules preventing schools from enforcing mask mandates. 

He has threatened to withhold salaries from school superintendents or board members who ignore his executive order banning compulsory face masks for students.

This comes as hospitals have reported a large increase in visits from patients under 18-years-old since January to the CDC. 

The GOP governor issued a statement against pro-maskers, after taking action to ban compulsory masks in Sunshine State schools and offering to pay private school tuition for parents who fear they'll be shamed for refusing to cover their kids' faces.

De Santis' statement read, 'With respect to enforcing any financial consequences for noncompliance of state law regarding these rules and ultimately the rights of parents to make decisions about their children's education and health care decisions, it would be the goal of the State Board of Education to narrowly tailor any financial consequences to the offense committed.'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faces backlash in Florida after threatening to cut school officials' salaries if they put mask wearing mandates in place

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faces backlash in Florida after threatening to cut school officials' salaries if they put mask wearing mandates in place

'For example, the State Board of Education could move to withhold the salary of the district superintendent or school board members, as a narrowly tailored means to address the decision-makers who led to the violation of law.'

'Education funding is intended to benefit students first and foremost, not systems. The Governor's priorities are protecting parents' rights and ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality education that meets their unique needs.'  

But President Joe Biden threatened to use legal pressure to try to maintain COVID masking in schools. Biden spoke from the East Room amid a new policy recommendation on vaccine booster shots. 

'I've said as I said before, if you aren't going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who's trying,' he said, in another missive aimed at GOP governors.

'If you aren't going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who's trying,' President Joe Biden said, picking a fight with GOP governors who have used their power to try to prevent local districts from requiring mask usage in schools

'If you aren't going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who's trying,' President Joe Biden said, picking a fight with GOP governors who have used their power to try to prevent local districts from requiring mask usage in schools

'You know, we're not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children.'

Biden tore into the idea of governors snatching away local control.

'Some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures – that is children wearing masks in school – into political disputes, for their own political gain,' Biden said.

'Some are even trying to take power away from local educators by banning masks in school. They are setting a dangerous tone.'

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