Paxlovid is an oral antiviral medication that may be used to help prevent symptoms requiring hospitalization in patients with Covid-19.
What is Paxlovid and How Does it Work?
Pfizer’s FDA authorized Covid pill, Paxlovid is an oral antiviral pill that works by stopping the viral replication process of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This reduces a person’s viral load and lessens the severity of their symptoms. Paxlovid can reduce the risk of hospitalization by 89%, as demonstrated in one clinical trial. Paxlovid is effective against the Omicron variant of Covid-19 when taken within five days of the start of symptoms.
Who is Eligible to Receive Paxlovid?
You may qualify if:
- A PCR or rapid antigen test has confirmed that you’re COVID-19 positive
- You’ve been experiencing mild to moderate COVID symptoms for five days or less
- You’re considered to be at high risk for COVID-related complications
How It Works
Frequently Asked Questions
Is molnupiravir FDA approved?
Is molnupiravir safe?
One stage 2 clinical trial found that molnupiravir is both effective and well-tolerated, meaning that there were few reported side effects. Fewer than 50% of study participants reported side effects in one study. The same study found that of these reports, 93% of side effects were mild.
Are there any FDA-approved pills for COVID-19?
Can people who have been vaccinated get the COVID-19 pill?
How effective are COVID-19 pills in preventing severe disease?
The Pfizer COVID-19 pill (Paxlovid) has been shown to reduce the risk of COVID-related hospitalization or death by 89%, while the Merck COVID-19 pill has been shown to reduce the risk of COVID-related hospitalization or death by 30%. The COVID-19 pill is not a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinated people who take these COVID medications will likely have even better recovery outcomes than those who are unvaccinated.
