U.S. boosts purchase of COVID-fighting antiviral drug

[KSTP-TV News, April 27, 2022] There’s a new anti-viral drug on the market to treat COVID-19. These little pills, called Paxlovid, are considered a game-changer.First approved in December, the Pfizer drug was initially in limited supply.

But now, the U.S. has ordered enough Paxlovid for 20 million people, enough to last for several months.

“They reduce the hospitalization rate by about 90%, so that’s a big benefit,” said Dr. Frank Rhame, an infectious disease physician at Allina Health. “We have a couple of other alternatives, but this one is the biggest benefit.”