Drug to treat COVID is circulating, although many are unaware it exists

A drug that drastically reduces the risk of COVID-19 is now in circulation for everyone. Paxlovid has been around for a while, but people are still unaware of its existence or confused about its effects.

Paxlovid is a Pfizer drug and has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 by 90%. It must be taken within five days of the first COVID-19 symptoms appearing, meaning that unlike vaccines, it is not preventive. As of this week, the drug is now widely available and available in pharmacies across the states.

Paxlovid was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December last year. Despite its high potency, NPR reported in April that the White House was drafting a plan to get people to learn more about the drug, including better availability in pharmacies.

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Newsday reports that many pharmacists are unaware of the drug or have had trouble getting hold of it. “Only a minority of people who could benefit from it are currently getting it,” said Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of public health and epidemiology at Northwell Health, who prescribes the drugs to his patients.

While the drug is recommended for people over the age of 65 or those with comorbid conditions, it is up to the doctor’s discretion whether or not to prescribe it. Although it’s targeting a subset of people who are typically at higher risk of getting worse COVID-19 infections, there’s still a lot of reluctance among people who don’t trust the drug because they’ve never heard of it.

NPR explained that the process of obtaining the drugs is complicated, especially since they must be taken within five days of the first COVID-19 symptoms. “So it’s a race to get a COVID test, get someone to prescribe it, find a pharmacy that actually carries it, and then start taking it,” White House correspondent Tamara Keith said .

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Paxlovid treatment consists of taking two drugs, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, twice a day for five days. Possible side effects include an altered sense of taste, diarrhea, increased blood pressure and muscle pain. It’s also a drug that can interact with other medications, which is why it’s important for doctors to make sure their patients aren’t taking other medications that could cause further complications.

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Paxlovid isn’t the only drug that can treat COVID-19, but it’s the simplest. While people can obtain monoclonal antibodies made in a lab, they must be given by a medical worker through an injection or IV.