When Will COVID-19 Pills Be Available In North Carolina?

CHARLOTTE, NC — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is preparing to make decisions on COVID-19 pills from Merck and Pfizer, clearing the way for millions of Americans to pick-up treatments for COVID at their local pharmacy.

FDA approval could come for both pills by the end of this month. Once approved, North Carolina doctors could immediately order the pills directly from medical distributors for their patients. At least initially, the federal government will put caps on the number of pills physicians can order for their patients.

There will be other challenges to maximizing the effectiveness of the drugs. Patients will have to take 30 to 40 pills in a five-day period, and they will need to begin treatment within three days after they are infected.

Health experts worry high-risk patients infected with COVID-10 may not be able to get tested and treated in that three-day timeframe. Studies of a similar drug used to limit the impact of influenza show that only 40 percent of high-risk patients got diagnosed within the three-day window to begin treatment.

"This is truly a game changer," said Dr. Daniel Griffin, an expert on infectious diseases and immunology at Columbia University, told CNN. "This is up there with vaccines. It's not a substitute for vaccines; we still want to get people vaccinated. But, boy, this is just another great tool to have."

In North Carolina, the infection rate is slightly lower than the national average. Since the first known case of COVID-19 was reported in North Carolina on Mar. 3, 2020, there have been 1,553,112 total infections in the state — or 14,957 for every 100,000 people. Of all 50 states and Washington D.C., North Carolina ranks No. 33 by cumulative COVID-19 cases, adjusted for population.