JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The FDA recently authorized two new COVID treatments. One from Pfizer and the other from Merck are designed for patients who have mild to moderate COVID symptoms and who may have underlying health conditions.
“Both of these antivirals are really most effective almost as soon as symptoms start, so I say it's tricky because not everybody is tuned into what their symptoms are from day to day," said Chad Neilsen, director of infection prevention with UF Health Jacksonville.
But what is the process of being able to get the COVID pill when available?
“It’s a prescription drug. You’ll be able to pick it up from your pharmacies but it will have to be prescribed," said Neilsen.
Neilsen says he anticipates people who have COVID will call their primary care physician, they’ll walk into an urgent care center, and be recognized as an at-risk group for severe infection. But as for the regimen.
“The Pfizer pill treatment is 30 pills taken as 3 pills twice a day for five days," said Neilsen.
Neilsen says Merck’s regimen is similar but is only approved for adults. He also says both carry potential side effects and drug interactions with commonly used prescriptions like blood thinners and cholesterol medication.
“We call them drug interaction. But they can potentially react with other drugs in someone’s system which can give off worst side effects," said Neilsen.
Neilsen says It’s important people taking these drugs do so under the supervision of a doctor or a pharmacist.
He says the safest approach is still the vaccine and a booster but if you are in the at-risk category, he does recommend you consider an anti-viral pill when it becomes available.