7 Tips to Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
This article is updated for the 2024–2025 flu season. By now you’re probably expecting to hear about getting...
Read moreHelp patients book appointments with you on Solv. It's free!
13 instant-book locations
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 18+
For high-risk COVID patients ages 12+
Help patients book appointments with you on Solv. It's free!
Early detection of COVID-19 is critical for effective therapy, especially for people who are at high risk of hospitalization. When you schedule with Solv, you can get a same-day or next-day appointment for a quick COVID test. We work with thousands of top-rated healthcare providers across the country to make it simple for everyone to locate and receive the treatment they require. Find a healthcare practitioner near you and make an appointment online using our directory.
The FDA has approved two new antiviral pills for the treatment of COVID-19: Paxlovid and molnupiravir. Pfizer manufactures paxlovid, while Merck manufactures molnupiravir. According to FDA-reported clinical study data, these medicines can dramatically reduce the risk of hospitalization and mortality in COVID-19-infected high-risk individuals.
According to the FDA, COVID pill treatment is only for individuals who have already been diagnosed with COVID-19. The pills are not the same as the COVID vaccine in that they are not used to prevent infection with COVID. According to the FDA, the pills should not be used as a substitute for vaccines, but they may be particularly beneficial for patients who are immunocompromised or unable to be vaccinated. According to the DSA, COVID medications are intended to lower the chance of being hospitalized due to severe COVID symptoms.
Before you ask your doctor for a COVID pill prescription, there are some important points to understand, as noted by the FDA:
If you test positive for COVID and your doctor thinks you're at risk of being admitted to the hospital, they'll probably write you a prescription and tell you where to get your medications.
Treatment for COVID with Paxlovid or molnupiravir is usually extremely simple because the medications can be administered at home. The FDA advises that you start taking your medication as soon as possible and follow your doctor's instructions to the letter. It is possible to take both drugs with or without food. Do not open or crush the pills; swallow them whole. If you miss a dosage, call your doctor to find out when you should take it again. Even if you feel better, follow the FDA's directions and continue taking all of your medications.
The medications are meant to lower the chance of hospitalization, according to the FDA. When you take the COVID pill, you may not feel better right once, and the length of your illness may not be decreased.
Side effects of both drugs, according to the FDA, are reported to be minor. Paxlovid side effects may include muscle aches, diarrhea, high blood pressure, and loss of taste. Side effects of molnupiravir may include nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea.
Molnupiravir can interfere with fetal development. The FDA recommends that women who could become pregnant should use a reliable method of birth control during treatment and for at least four days after completing treatment. Men who are sexually active should use a reliable form of birth control for at least three months following treatment.
If you don't feel better after five days of taking your prescription, or if your symptoms worsen, call your doctor right away, according to FDA guidelines.
Even if you feel better, stay in isolation for as long as your doctor advises. Continue to wear a mask in public and exercise social distance if you are at high risk, according to CDC guidelines and recommendations.
The FDA will continue to assess the safety and efficacy of COVID pill therapies, and more novel medicines are likely to follow.
According to the FDA, the COVID pill is solely for persons who have previously been infected with COVID-19. If you test positive for COVID, you'll need to see a doctor or another licensed healthcare professional to get a prescription for the medication.
The COVID pill therapy, according to the FDA, is an oral antibody medication designed to lower the likelihood of severe COVID symptoms. The pills, like any other prescription drug, can be taken at home. Paxlovid is a five-day treatment that consists of three pills administered twice a day. Four pills are given every 12 hours for five days as part of the Molnupiravir treatment.
According to FDA officials, the two drugs act in different ways. Paxlovid prevents the virus from producing an enzyme required for replication. Molnupiravir causes the virus to mutate and become ineffective as it replicates.
According to FDA recommendations, both Paxlovid and molnupiravir can be used for five days.
COVID pill treatments are provided free of charge by the US government. If you have health insurance, your doctor's office or drugstore may charge an administrative fee to your insurance company.
The pharmacies that will be dispensing the COVID pill will differ from state to state. Initially, supplies are expected to be limited until manufacturers can ramp up production. Your doctor will be able to advise you on where to get your prescription filled.
To obtain the COVID pill, you do not need to be a US resident as long as you complete the other requirements (as outlined by the FDA). The Pfizer COVID tablet is licensed for anyone aged 12 and up who are at high risk of being admitted to the hospital. Only high-risk adults are eligible for the Merck pill.
The COVID pill is only for persons who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. According to FDA guidelines, treatment must begin within five days after the onset of symptoms.
The FDA recommends that both medications be taken for five days, but the doses are different. Three pills twice a day, for a total of 30 pills, is Paxlovid. Molnupiravir is taken in the form of four pills twice a day for a total of forty pills.
Make an appointment with a doctor right once to be tested for COVID if you are experiencing COVID symptoms. If you test positive for HIV and are at high risk of being admitted to the hospital, your doctor can prescribe a COVID pill and tell you where to get it. Some pharmacies may be able to deliver a fast COVID test as well as the medication in the same visit. Find a COVID testing provider near you in <state> in our directory.
Updated on Oct 25, 2024
Solv has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.
Chickenpox Vaccine in Arkansas
DOT Exam in Arkansas
Ear Wax Removal in Arkansas
Flu Shot in Arkansas
Hepatitis Vaccine in Arkansas
Measles Vaccine (MMR) in Arkansas
Physical Exam in Arkansas
Shingles Vaccine in Arkansas
Sports Physicals in Arkansas
Tetanus Shot in Arkansas
Typhoid Vaccine in Arkansas
Yellow Fever Vaccine in Arkansas
A1C Test in Arkansas
Allergy Testing in Arkansas
Basic Metabolic Panel in Arkansas
Blood Test in Arkansas
CMP Test in Arkansas
COVID-19 Antibody Test in Arkansas
Cholesterol Test in Arkansas
Drug Test in Arkansas
Flu Test in Arkansas
Glucose Test in Arkansas
Hepatitis test in Arkansas
Mono Test in Arkansas
RSV Test in Arkansas
STD Testing in Arkansas
Strep Test in Arkansas
TB Test in Arkansas
Urinalysis in Arkansas
Vitamin D Test in Arkansas
Tips, advice, news—your resource to stay healthy and safe while improving your experience with healthcare providers when you need them.