Paxlovid COVID-19 Oral Drug: What To Know In CT

CONNECTICUT — Oral COVID-19 antiviral treatments are another major weapon in the public health arsenal as Connecticut continues to battle the virus. However, experts caution that their availability doesn’t mean vaccinations and infection prevention measures should be discarded.

Here are some important things to know about the drugs:

What pill are available?

Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and Merck’s Lagevrio (molnupiravir) were given emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December. Both are a five-day course of treatment.

Paxlovid is generally the first drug of choice for non-hospitalized patients at high risk of severe illness, said Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare. Studies show Paxlovid is extremely effective at preventing hospitalizations.

Pfizer’s Paxlovid study found that it reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent if taken within three days of symptom onset. Lagevrio was closer to 30 percent risk reduction.

However, Paxlovid does interact with a number of medications and can’t be taken by people with certain medical conditions, Wu said. Lagevrio is typically the next choice on the list for patients who can’t take Paxlovid.

Who can get an antiviral prescription?

People need to test positive for COVID-19 and be at high risk for severe illness. That includes conditions such as cancer, diabetes and obesity, as well as older adults. People can be prescribed the medicine by a physician or by going to a federal Test to Treat site.

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The criteria for prescription have been loosened to some extent now that the drug supply isn’t as constricted, Wu said. Still, patients need to meet certain age or comorbidity requirements.

Are vaccines still necessary?

Vaccines and other prevention methods such as mask use are still the top tools in the fight against COVID-19, Wu said.

“It’s great, and we’ll take it, but it’s not a magic bullet,” Wu said about the antiviral pills. “It’s not going to stop covid from happening, since it’s after the fact.”

The antiviral pills are a game-changer because they are an at-home treatment, which will help reduce hospital burden, he said. Still, preventing coronavirus infections in the first place is important.

“It goes back to the general principle that we would rather have prevention than treatment,” Wu said.

How many courses has Connecticut received?

The state typically receives about 450 weekly courses of Lagevrio and about 1,120 doses of Paxlovid, DPH spokesman Christopher Boyle told Patch. Weekly allocations are based on the number of courses manufactured, the state’s case rate and utilization of the products.

Connecticut received 11,500 courses of Paxlovid and 19,800 Lagevrio courses as of April 18. More than 4,000 Paxlovid courses and 880 Lagevrio courses have been administered.

When should the pills be taken?

The earlier, the better, Wu said. The course can be started up to five days after symptoms appear, but they are more effective earlier in the infection.

Who pays?

The U.S. government agreed to pay Pfizer $530 per course of treatment ffor Paxlovid and about $700 per course for Lagevrio, according to GoodRx. Both are free of charge for patients during the public health emergency.