Covid-19

U.S Obtains 20m COVID 19 antiviral pills to Combat Virus

U.S  Obtains 20m COVID 19 antiviral pills to Combat Virus

  • The United States is hoping to increase access to COVID 19 antiviral pills in the country.
  • President Joe Biden’s administration has secured the purchase of 20 million treatment courses of Paxlovid, Pfizer’s oral COVID 19 antiviral treatment
  • The government is looking to increase the direct distribution of the oral pills to more than 40,000 sites in the coming weeks.

The United States is working towards expanding access to COVID 19 antiviral pills like Pfizer’s Paxlovid. This was announced by the white house on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2022.

COVID 19 antiviral pills

With this expansion, pharmacies taking part in the federal pharmacy program will not be dependent on states to obtain COVID 19 antiviral pills anymore.

Currently, the government sends the treatment pills mainly to states, community centres, and select pharmacies. The pills are then distributed to other sub-locations.

Under this system, antiviral treatments are accessible in about 20,000 locations in the United States. 

However, President Joe Biden’s administration is looking to expand the number of reached locations to over 30,000 now, and 40,000 in the coming weeks. This was disclosed by a senior administration official on a press call today, according to CNN.

Paxlovoid is one of the few certified antiviral treatments for COVID. The others are Merk and Co’s (MRK.N) and Gilead Science Inc’s intravenous Remdesivir. 

Read also: Africa’s COVID 19 Cases Decline as Vaccination Hits 182 Million

These antiviral treatments are expected to be major tools in the battle against COVID. During clinical trials, the pills were found to have reduced hospitalizations or deaths in high-risk patients by about 90%.

As part of its “Test to Treat” initiative, the US government intends to launch more federally endorsed test sites. The initiative will give Americans the opportunity to be tested for COVID 19  at pharmacies and get free pills if the results are positive. 

The administration is also working towards boosting awareness for patients with COVID. The awareness will be created through education campaigns for the general public.

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