COVID-19 Antiviral Drugs: What To Know In New York

NEW YORK — Oral COVID-19 antiviral treatments are another major weapon in the public health arsenal as New York continues to battle the virus. However, experts caution that their availability doesn’t mean vaccinations and infection prevention measures should be discarded.

Here are some important things to know about the drugs:

What pills are available?

Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and Merck’s Lagevrio (molnupiravir) were given emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December. Both are a five-day course of treatment.

Paxlovid is generally the first drug of choice for non-hospitalized patients at high risk of severe illness, medical experts said. Studies show Paxlovid is extremely effective at preventing hospitalizations.

Paxlovid and Lagevrio reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by 88 percent and 30 percent respectively, according to the New York Department of Health, in patients at high-risk for severe COVID-19 when started early after symptom onset.

However, Paxlovid does interact with a number of medications and can’t be taken by people with certain medical conditions, according to Yale Medicine. Lagevrio is typically the next choice on the list for patients who can’t take Paxlovid.

Who can get an antiviral prescription?

People need to test positive for COVID-19 and be at high risk for severe illness. That includes conditions such as cancer, diabetes and obesity, as well as older adults. People can be prescribed the medicine by a physician or by going to a federal Test to Treat site.

Are vaccines still necessary?

Vaccines and other prevention methods such as mask use are still the top tools in the fight against COVID-19, medical experts said.

Paxlovid is not a substitute for vaccination in individuals for whom COVID-19 vaccination and a booster dose are recommended, the FDA said. Neither Paxlovid nor Lageviro is authorized for pre-exposure or post-exposure prevention of COVID-19, and neither can substitute the need for vaccination, medical experts said.

How many courses does New York receive?

Weekly allocations are based on the number of courses manufactured, the state’s case rate and utilization of the products.

For the week of April 18-24, New York received 2,544 doses of Lagevrio and 6,180 doses of Paxlovid, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

When should the pills be taken?

The course can be started up to five days after symptoms appear, but they are more effective earlier in the infection.

Who pays?

The U.S. government agreed to pay Pfizer $530 per course for Paxlovid and about $700 per course for Lagevrio, according to GoodRx. Both are free of charge for patients during the public health emergency.

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