US Authorises Pfizer’s COVID Pill

The United States has authorised Pfizer’s anti-COVID pill for use in high-risk persons aged 12 and up.

The announcement, made yesterday, Wednesday, 22 December, by the Food and Drug Administration, comes as cases are surging worldwide, driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant.

Paxlovid, which comprises of two tablets, has been shown in a clinical trial to reduce the risk of hospitalizations and deaths among at-risk people by 88 percent.

The FDA has stressed that Paxlovid should be used in addition to vaccines, and should not replace them, as vaccines remain the frontline tool to fight the coronavirus.

South Africa has recorded 21 098 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the number of infections to 3 353 106. The death toll is 90 587 after 99 more deaths since Tuesday. In the past 24 hours, 63 381 vaccinations have been administered.