The FDA authorized the first ever at-home Covid pill today, marking a significant development in the pandemic response
The Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer's antiviral Covid-19 pill Wednesday for individuals 12 years of age and older who test positive and are at high risk of developing a severe case of the virus.
The pill, called Paxlovid, will provide the U.S. with another tool to help fight the virus as the more infectious Omicron variant surges, now accounting for more than 70 percent of all infections in the country, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Top Biden health officials warned this week that infections and hospitalizations are set to rise significantly in January.
In clinical trials, Pfizer’s treatment reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 89 percent when taken three days after the onset of symptoms. Individuals eligible for the pill need a prescription and should begin taking the treatment as soon as possible within five days of the onset of symptoms, the FDA said in a statement Wednesday. The FDA said the Pfizer pill is not a substitute for vaccination in individuals who are eligible for Covid-19 shots and boosters.
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