Paxlovid treatment sees 173 Covid-19 patients fully recovered

As of Monday (May 9), a total of 173 patients have fully recovered from Covid-19 after being treated with Paxlovid antiviral pills.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the pills had been administered as of April 15.

As of now, priority is given to ‘high-risk’ Covid-19 patients aged 18 and above, in categories 2 and 3, and those who do not require oxygen therapy.

‘High-risk’ includes individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney issues, asthma or chronic lung patients, heart patients and cancer patients.

Khairy said the antiviral pills have been supplied to 512 Covid-19 assessment centres (CAC) and 78 government hospitals thus far.

A total of 48,000 boxes of the pills were received in mid-April. However, the government is in talks with Pfizer to acquire more.

It was previously reported that Covid-19 patients who went to CAC clinics and government hospitals would be screened and assessed by a medical officer based on predetermined criteria before getting treatment, with priority given to patients with a score of three and above.

For optimum efficacy, the drug should be taken within five days of experiencing symptoms.

Infographics by the Health Ministry explained that patients should take one white tablet (ritonavir) and two pink tablets (nirmatrelvir) at a time, twice a day, for five days. It should be swallowed whole at the same time, not chewed.

Expected side effects include muscle pain, changes to the sensation of taste, vomiting, diarrhoea, and high blood pressure. - Mkini