As Omicron Surges, Antiviral Coronavirus Pills, Are in Scarce Supply.
CNN reports as the Omicron variant gains steam in the United States, the once-lauded "game-changing" antiviral coronavirus pills are in scarce supply.
Health officials say antiviral coronavirus pills from Pfizer, Paxlovid, will be a helpful tool in the fight against COVID-19.
I actually consider it the biggest advance in the pandemic since the vaccines, Dr. Eric Topol, executive vice president at Scripps Research, via CNN.
It's very rare to see something with this much efficacy of nearly 90% reduction of hospitalizations and deaths with no safety issue beyond placebo.
, Dr. Eric Topol, executive vice president at Scripps Research, via CNN.
Now, as the country grapples with another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors are struggling to find enough of the pills.
CNN reports that merely 160,000 courses have been administered in the United States.
There's hardly any of these pill packs around.
, Dr. Eric Topol, executive vice president at Scripps Research, via CNN.
Health officials say at this point, many hospitals are reserving the courses of antiviral pills for their highest-risk patients.
We're using these medications judiciously and really giving them to the people that would most benefit from these therapeutics.
, Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, via CNN.
If we opened it up to vaccinated individuals, we would not have enough therapy.
, Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, via CNN