Paxlovid pills against Covid-19, a drug developed by Pfizer here at a factory in Freiburg, Germany (Pfizer / Handout)
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The United States Medicines Agency (FDA) urgently authorized the Covid-19 pill from the Pfizer laboratory on Wednesday, but the immediate concern of Americans remained to find tests in the face of the meteoric spread of the Omicron variant.
“This authorization provides a new tool to fight Covid-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic,” said FDA official Patrizia Cavazzoni, quoted in a statement.
US President Joe Biden hastened to greet in a statement this “good news” which allows to garnish “the medicine cabinet of the country”. The White House intends to procure 250,000 treatments as of January, and 10 million in total.
This antiviral drug can be administered to high-risk patients aged 12 and over, specifies the FDA, which however emphasizes that vaccines remain the first line of defense against the pandemic.
Pfizer’s treatment, marketed as Paxlovid, consists of a combination of two pills taken twice a day for five days, upon diagnosis and within five days of onset of symptoms.
It can reduce hospitalizations and deaths in at-risk people by 88% when taken within the first five days after symptom onset, according to clinical trials.
Pfizer also announced that its antiviral treatment should remain effective against Omicron.
This new, highly transmissible variant has led to an increase in cases in the United States, as in many other countries around the world.
– Test rush –
The priority of Americans, however, remained on Wednesday to find tests, in particular for those who are preparing to meet with their families for the end of the year celebrations.
The lines are stretching out in front of the test centers in the United States, and some pharmacy chains or even the e-commerce giant Amazon have decided to ration purchases for lack of sufficient stocks.
The Biden administration, which promises to distribute 500 million free tests, but only from January, denies however having badly anticipated the situation.
Joe Biden reiterated that the country was “ready” to absorb a possible increase in hospitalizations, and said vaccinated Americans should not “panic”.
However, the health authorities recommended to avoid too many gatherings, and to privilege the festivities in small groups, between vaccinated people.
Some localities have decided to temporarily close schools or set up a vaccination pass – in Washington, the federal capital, it will be mandatory from January to be immunized to go to a café, a restaurant or a gym. .
The high mass of electronics and technologies in Las Vegas, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), sees its big face-to-face return, scheduled for early January, compromised. Many large companies have decided to follow suit or cancel their presence.
ia-aue/iba
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