Paxlovid Significantly Reduced Hospital Admissions, Deaths in COVID-19 Patients During Omicron Wave

Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) has helped reduce hospitalizations and mortality from COVID-19 during the Omicron wave, according to a new study.

Paxlovid is Effective in Battling COVID-19

Researchers from Ontario aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Paxlovid in preventing the severity of COVID-19 in the emergence of the Omicron variant. They examined data on adults with mild disease who tested positive for ARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test between April 4 and Aug. 31, 2022. They compared the data of 8876 patients, who were treated with Paxlovid against 168, 669 who did not receive the same medication. Most patients were older than 70 years, were vaccinated and had potential drug-drug interactions, EurekAlert! reported.

Evaluation of Protease Inhibition for COVID-19 in High-Risk Patients (EPIC-HR), conducted before the appearance of the Omicron variant, found that nirmatase inhibitors and ritonavir were effective in treating patients. However, the trial excluded individuals who had been immunized or had potential drug-drug interactions.

The new study, in conjunction with previous clinical trials and observational research, supports the efficacy of Paxlovid in reducing hospital admission from COVID-19 and death from all causes, according to Dr. Kevin Schwartz, Public Health Ontario and ICES, Toronto, Ontario, and his colleagues.

They discovered that for every 62 individuals treated with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, 1 case of severe COVID-19 was prevented.

Dr. Schwartz added that the recent study emphasized the importance of testing for SARS-CoV-2 when one experiences symptoms and providing Paxlovid to those at risk for severe COVID-19 infection.

If you test positive for COVID-19, are over the age of 60, or have other risk factors for severe infection, such as chronic medical conditions or are undervaccinated, you should call your healthcare provider or pharmacy within five days of the onset of symptoms to inquire about Paxlovid.

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

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What is Paxlovid?

Paxlovid is an oral antiviral pill against COVID-19 virus. It received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021.

According to FDA, it was the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19. Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said the green light given to Paxlovid was a significant step forward in the fight against the global pandemic.

It also served as a new tool to combat the virus. At the time, FDA promised to make Paxlovid accessible to patients at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.

Paxlovid is safe for anyone 12 years and older, weighs at least 88 pounds, and is at high risk for severe disease.

Paxlovid was developed by Pfizer. According to the results from the clinical trial, it reduces the risk of hospitalization and death in unvaccinated people by 89%, Yale Medicine noted.

Scott Roberts, MD, a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist, was confident with Paxlovid, describing it as a "game-changer." He added that it was the first effective oral antiviral pill against coronavirus. It demonstrates clear benefits and can prevent hospitalization and death in high-risk individuals.