Newsom Tests Positive For COVID, Uses Paxlovid Treatment

CALIFORNIA — Gov. Gavin Newsom has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced on Saturday.

The Democratic governor said he was using Paxlovid to treat the virus, an anti-viral medication taken in three pills twice daily for five days. Newsom said he was experiencing mild symptoms.

"Grateful to be vaccinated & for treatments like Paxlovid," he said. "I’m following health guidelines and will be isolating while I work remotely."

His use of the drug has sparked questions about whether the treatment was necessary as Paxlovid is typically reserved for those with chronic illnesses, people at risk of suffering severe disease and the elderly population.

"The one thing I would like to stress is that means those of us who are fairly young and healthy and don't have a lot of issues, you should not be taking Paxlovid once you get COVID," Dr. Vanessa Walker of Pulmonary Medicine Associates told KCRA. "If I got COVID tomorrow, I would not write myself a prescription for Paxlovid."

"The Governor received a prescription from his doctor. Eligibility is determined by individual medical practitioners," a spokesperson for the governor told KCRA. "The Governor wanted to publicize the use of Paxlovid to raise awareness about available treatments for physicians and providers who believe their patients can benefit from the treatment to avoid serious illness."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also warned of a potential "COVID-19 rebound" after finishing the five-day course, in which a patient experiences symptoms again.

Those who experience a recurrence of symptoms may also still be infections for additional days.