Medication can be taken at home.
Last week, the U.S. authorized Pfizer’s antiviral COVID-19 pill for at-risk people aged 12 and above, making it the first oral treatment and one which can be taken at home. This new medication provides a potentially important tool in the fight against the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
Pfizer’s antiviral regimen, Paxlovid, was nearly 90 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in patients at high risk of severe illness according to data from the company’s clinical trial. Recent laboratory data suggests the drug retains its effectiveness against Omicron.
Pfizer raised its 2022 production projections to 120 million courses of treatment from 80 million and said it was ready to start immediate delivery in the U.S. The treatment’s two-drug regimen includes a new medicine and a second older antiviral called ritonavir.
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to issue emergency authorization for the treatment comes as the U.S. combats a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, with President Joe Biden announcing plans for more federal vaccination and testing sites.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the effectiveness of the new oral medication to help slow the spread of Omicron and other variants of the COVID-19 virus.
- For the FDA and CDC as efforts are made to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
Sources: Newsmax, Wall Street Journal
