Gupta ascribed the phenomenon to a fundamental flaw in Americans’ view of health care: That most people see doctors’ role as treating illnesses, not preventing them.

“People are much more ready and willing to quit smoking, or to get the vaccine, when they’re in my ICU, but they’re not willing to do those things before,” he said. “They think about treatment. They think about seeing docs only when they need to. And that absolutely is informing why people are so willing to accept a monoclonal therapy.”

Indeed, the Desantis administration has made access to monoclonal therapies a centerpiece of its Covid response, operating dozens of treatment sites across the state and moving just weeks ago to secure additional doses of Regeneron’s therapy amid the Omicron surge.