WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration is taking steps to expand the availability of the life-saving COVID-19 antiviral remedy Paxlovid, trying to reassure doctors that there is a sufficient source for others who are at risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from the virus.
Paxlovid, produced through Pfizer, was first approved in December. The source of nutrition was, first of all, very limited, but COVID-19 cases across the country have declined and production has increased. The White House is now running to advertise the tablet and take steps to facilitate access to it.
The White House said Tuesday it is broadening awareness among doctors, letting them know they won’t hesitate to prescribe the tablet to eligible patients. In addition, the drug will now be distributed directly to pharmacies, in addition to existing state distribution channels. This is expected to increase the number of sites from 20,000 to more than 30,000 next week and eventually to 40,000 locations.
Management used the pharmacy channel to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccines more than a year ago.
“Paxlovid will be widely available in the United States,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 reaction coordinator. The drug and similar antivirals “are the main essential equipment that we want to obtain during the rest of this pandemic. “”He said.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday, takes Paxlovid after discussing it with her doctors.
Paxlovid, when administered within five days of symptom onset, has been shown to produce approximately 90% relief in hospitalizations and deaths in patients with the highest likelihood of severe illness. About three hundred Americans are now dying each and every one. day since the coronavirus, up from more than 2600 at the height of the omicron wave earlier this year.
USA. The U. S. ordered enough pills for 20 million people, which is expected to last several more months. Management warned that upcoming installments are counting on Congress approving more investments for the COVID-19 response.
“What we want to do is help doctors, nurse practitioners and other Americans who can prescribe to realize that we now have a lot of them and that anyone eligible, anyone who is at high risk, gets Paxlovid,” Jha said.
He also encouraged other people who test positive to consult their doctor about their eligibility for the drug that can spare you serious consequences.
The Food and Drug Administration has Pfizer’s legal drug for adults and children over the age of 12 with a positive COVID-19 result and early symptoms facing the greatest threat of serious outcomes. This includes the elderly and those with obesity and central disease. , the drug is not recommended for patients with severe kidney or liver problems.
Management is also striving to increase the number of remedy verification sites that offer a one-stop shop for other people with COVID-19 to get screened for the virus, see a medical professional if they test positive, and fill a prescription for Paxlovid on site. There are 2,200 locations across the country lately, and management expects help from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and pharmaceutical corporations to allow more sites to function in the coming weeks.