FDA authorized the first oral antiviral for COVID-19 treatment in U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized U.S. based multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation Pfizer’s oral antiviral tablets for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Wednesday. With FDA’s authorization, the pill became the first approved for COVID-19 treatment in the country. According to the statement by FDA, Pfizer’s Paxlovid named pill is authorized to use in adults and pediatric patients that age of 12 and older with positive results from COVID-19 testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. Also FDA stated that Paxlovid pill is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within the 5 days of symptoms onset.