Newly contaminated COVID-19 sufferers have two new therapy choices that may be taken at residence.

But that comfort comes with a catch: The pills should be taken as quickly as doable as soon as signs seem.

The problem is getting examined, getting a prescription and beginning the pills in a brief window.

U.S. regulators licensed Pfizer’s tablet, Paxlovid, and Merck’s molnupiravir final week. In high-risk sufferers, each have been proven to cut back the probabilities of hospitalization or demise from COVID-19, though Pfizer’s was far more efficient.

A better look:

WHO SHOULD TAKE THESE PILLS?

The antiviral pills aren’t for everybody who will get a optimistic take a look at. The pills are meant for these with delicate or reasonable COVID-19 who usually tend to develop into significantly ailing. That contains older individuals and people with different well being circumstances like coronary heart illness, most cancers or diabetes that make them extra susceptible. Both pills have been OK’d for adults whereas Paxlovid is permitted for kids ages 12 and older.

WHO SHOULDN’T TAKE THESE PILLS?

Merck’s molnupiravir is just not licensed for kids as a result of it would intervene with bone progress. It additionally is not really useful for pregnant girls due to the potential for beginning defects. Pfizer’s tablet is not really useful for sufferers with extreme kidney or liver issues. It additionally will not be the best choice for some as a result of it might work together with different prescriptions a affected person is taking. The antiviral pills aren’t licensed for individuals hospitalized with COVID-19.

WHAT’S THE TREATMENT WINDOW?

The pills should be began as quickly as doable, inside 5 days of the beginning of signs. Cough, headache, fever, the lack of style or scent and muscle and physique aches are among the many extra widespread indicators. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives a web site to examine your signs.

Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious illness specialist at Duke University Hospital, advises getting a take a look at as quickly as you’ve got signs of COVID-19.

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“If you wait until you have started to get breathless, you have already to a large extent missed the window where these drugs will be helpful,” Wolfe mentioned.

WHERE CAN I GET THE PILLS?

You’ll want a prescription first from a physician or different licensed well being employee. The U.S. authorities is shopping for the pills from Merck and Pfizer and offering them totally free, however provides can be restricted initially. They’ll be shipped to states the place they are going to be obtainable at drugstores, neighborhood well being facilities and different locations. Treatment lasts 5 days.

Some pharmacists might be able to administer a fast COVID-19 take a look at and prescribe the pills multi function go to. They already do that in lots of states for flu or strep throat.

WILL THE PILLS WORK FOR THE OMICRON VARIANT?

The pills are anticipated to be efficient in opposition to omicron as a result of they don’t goal the spike protein the place many of the variant’s worrisome mutations reside. The two pills work in numerous methods to forestall the virus from reproducing.

ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS FOR NEW COVID-19 PATIENTS?

Yes, however they are not as simple to make use of as a tablet: They are given by IV or injection, sometimes at a hospital or clinic. Three medicine present virus-fighting antibodies, though laboratory testing suggests the 2 aren’t efficient in opposition to omicron. British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline’s antibody drug seems to work, and officers say they’re working to extend the U.S. provide. The solely antiviral drug authorized within the U.S., remdesivir, is for individuals hospitalized with COVID-19.

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AP Health Writer Matthew Perrone contributed to this report. Follow Tom Murphy on Twitter at @thpmurphy.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely accountable for all content material.



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