Study Says Pfizer’s Paxlovid Antiviral Medication Lowers Long COVID-19 Risk

Pfizer Inc's Paxlovid antiviral that lowers rates of illness and death in people infected with the coronavirus also cuts the risk of some symptoms of disabling long COVID, a study found.

Taking the oral medication within five days of testing positive for a SARS-CoV-2 infection was linked to a 26 percent lower risk of lingering post-viral complications, researchers with the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System said in the study.

It added that equates to 2.3 fewer cases of long COVID within three months of infection for every 100 patients treated.

The research, based on an analysis of electronic health records in databases maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs, suggests that wider use of Paxlovid won’t just stave off critical disease during the acute phase of infection, but will limit patients’ likelihood of longer-term problems.

Long COVID is estimated to afflict almost 150 million people worldwide and predicted to cost $3.7 trillion in the US alone.

Paxlovid is authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of acute COVID-19 illness in people with one or more risk factors for progression to severe disease.