NE Will Have To Wait For Ample Supply Of New COVID Drug Approved By FDA

(KFOR NEWS December 23, 2021) The FDA on Wednesday put its stamp of approval on an oral antiviral pill designed to treat COVID-19.

Paxlovid, which was developed by Pfizer, is meant to be taken after people are diagnosed with COVID-19 – but before they’re sick enough to be hospitalized, the company says. Test results provided by Pfizer indicate Paxlovid cuts the risk of hospitalization or death by 89%.

Chief of Nebraska Medical Center’s Division of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Mark Rudd, says unfortunately, Paxlovid is going to be in very, very short supply as it first comes out.

Dr. Rudd told WOWT, Nebraska may get 100 or 200 doses a week. There are other treatments in the works.

UNMC and Nebraska Medicine are studying an oral drug from Merck that is not quite ready for approval.