For those at high risk, Pfizer's antiviral drug helps stave off severe COVID-19. Now research suggests it may also reduce their chances of long COVID.
Patients had a reduced risk of developing long COVID after taking Paxlovid, and the benefits were seen among those who were vaccinated and unvaccinated.Patients had a reduced risk of developing long COVID after taking Paxlovid, and the benefits were seen among those who were vaccinated and unvaccinated.It's well-documented that Paxlovid — a 5-day course of antiviral pills from Pfizer — can reduce the risk of hospitalization in COVID-19 patients who are more likely to develop severe illness.
. It requires a prescription, and patients with COVID-19 must start it within five days of symptom onset.In the study, long COVID was defined as developing one or more symptoms — including heart issues, blood disorders, fatigue and trouble breathing — one to three months after testing positive. By these metrics, patients that took Paxlovid were 26% less likely to develop long COVID.
The study is a preprint, meaning it was shared publicly before being reviewed and vetted by outside researchers. But experts who were not involved in the study tell NPR the findings make sense, given how Paxlovid works. Still, experts view the study as only a starting point for exploring the potential uses of Paxlovid. The VA study was observational, based on data entered into patient health records – in Sax's view,"the imprecision of the [long COVID] diagnosis makes definitive conclusions from this study challenging, especially with a retrospective review."
"Does Paxlovid use in a lower-risk population reduce the risk of acute problems and subsequently reduce the risk of long COVID?" Al-Aly wonders,"I think that's a question that we all need to solve over the next several months."
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