FDA authorizes first COVID-19 antiviral pill

Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeOn Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the first antiviral pill to treat COVID-19, a move that gives doctors another tool to fight the disease. The treatment, made by Pfizer, curbs the risk of hospitalization and death in high-risk patients infected with the coronavirus.
The drug is authorized for people 12 years of age and older who are at a high risk of getting seriously ill if they contract the virus.
Called Paxlovid, the treatment includes 30 pills taken at home over five days. It has to be started within a few days of symptoms — which could be a challenge in the United States, where it may be difficult for many people to get a COVID-19 test, a result, and see a doctor for a prescription in that window.
Paxlovid…

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