Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Merck have announced that their antiviral treatments for COVID-19 are capable of reducing the risk of hospitalization or death by up to 88%.

This comes as a major breakthrough in the fight against the pandemic as the world races to develop a cure.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 treatment

Pfizer’s COVID-19 treatment, Paxlovid, is a pill that targets the virus directly. The medication contains two protease inhibitors, which work by stopping the virus from replicating inside the body.

In clinical trials, the medication was found to be effective in reducing the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% among high-risk COVID-19 patients who received the medication within five days of symptom onset.

The medication is expected to be available in the coming months, pending approval from regulatory bodies. According to Pfizer, the company is ramping up production of the medication to ensure that it can be made widely available as soon as possible.

Merck’s COVID-19 treatment

Merck’s COVID-19 treatment, Molnupiravir, is similarly designed to target the virus directly. The medication works by causing errors in the virus’s genetic code, preventing it from replicating effectively.

In clinical trials, the medication was found to be effective in reducing the risk of hospitalization or death by 50% among high-risk COVID-19 patients who received the medication within five days of symptom onset.

The medication is also pending approval from regulatory bodies, but Merck has already announced plans to donate 90,000 courses of the medication to low-income countries.

What this means for the fight against COVID-19

The development of oral treatments for COVID-19 is a major breakthrough in the fight against the pandemic.

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Until now, the only available treatments for COVID-19 have been administered intravenously and have been largely reserved for severely ill patients. The development of effective oral treatments could help to reduce the strain on healthcare systems, making it easier to treat COVID-19 patients in outpatient settings.

Furthermore, the availability of effective treatments could help to encourage more people to get vaccinated, knowing that they have a back-up option in case they contract the virus.

This could be particularly important in countries where vaccine hesitancy is high and vaccination rates are low.

The importance of vaccination

While the development of effective treatments for COVID-19 is undoubtedly good news, it is important to remember that vaccination remains the best protection against the virus.

Vaccines are still the most effective way to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.

Therefore, it is important that those who are eligible for vaccination get vaccinated as soon as possible. This includes all adults and children aged 5 and above in the United States.

Conclusion

The development of effective oral treatments for COVID-19 by Pfizer and Merck is a major breakthrough in the fight against the pandemic.

These treatments have the potential to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death among high-risk COVID-19 patients, and also help to ease the strain on healthcare systems. However, it is important to remember that vaccination remains the most effective way to protect against the virus.