Paxlovid, a Pfizer's coronavirus disease pill, is seen manufactured in Ascoli, Italy, in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters on Nov 16. (Pfizer/Handout via Reuters)Britain has approved Pfizer's Covid-19 pill for adults who have mild to moderate infection and are at high risk of their illness worsening, its second easily administered antiviral against the coronavirus. Britain is scrambling to build its defences amid a record hit a daily record of new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, government data showed surge in Covid-19 cases in the winter season as the Omicron variant of the virus spreads quickly. "We now have a further antiviral medicine for the treatment of Covid-19 that can be taken by mouth rather than administered intravenously. Rival Merck's Covid-19 pill was approved by Britain last month, but that drug only reduced hospitalisations and deaths in its clinical trial of high-risk patients by around 30%.

Source: Bangkok Post December 31, 2021 14:12 UTC