Understanding Early Treatment for COVID-19: Paxlovid and Molnupiravir

Although more than three years have passed since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the country, fatigue from a seemingly endless pandemic seems to be causing stumbling blocks in his treatment.

“It is still a challenge for many doctors and patients to understand that treatments are given early,” said Dr. Lemuel Martínez.of the Infectious Diseases Society of Puerto Rico.

The infectious disease specialist referred particularly to the two drugs most used to treat this disease at an outpatient level: Paxlovid and Molnupiravir. These antiviral pills are indicated for non-hospitalized patients. Available by prescription, they can only be taken for the first five days from the onset of symptoms.

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“It is important that it is used early, before the disease progresses. Many people, if they have few symptoms, wait, but if they get worse they will end up in the hospital,” Martínez said.

He warned that people with risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes and/or some other chronic condition, should not delay seeking medical assistance as soon as they begin to feel sick, no matter how mild the manifestations may be.

“If the person has symptoms, they need treatment,” he insisted.

Regarding these drugs, Martínez said that Paxlovid is more effective, but it can interact with other drugs.

According to him Health Department, if the patient requires hospitalization, he can no longer take it. Pregnant, people with severe kidney disease or severe liver disease are also not allowed to use it. In clinical studies, Paxlovid was shown to be 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations or deaths in people at high risk. Molnupiravir obtained 30% effectiveness in initial studies.

“There have been more hospitalizations in the last two weeks. Once the cases start to go up, in one to two weeks the hospitalizations also (go up), ”she said.

One of the possible causes of this situation, he argued, is the small number of people who have the vaccination process against COVID-19 up to date.

According to Health data, only 10.6% have this vaccine up to date, out of a universe of 3,263,584 people.

“Too many people have abandoned vaccination processes, when this is an omicron season vaccine (the circulating variant). People have not gotten the message that this initial vaccination process is over and that now the vaccine is aimed at seasonal COVID,” said Martínez.

According to the infectologist, many people have not had a vaccine against COVID-19 for more than two years, so they have no protection against the virus.

“It is a reformulated vaccine,” he reiterated.

According to the federal Food and Drug Administration, bivalent vaccines against COVID-19 include a component of the original virus strain and another of the omicron variant.

According to the pediatric infectologist Sanet Torres, there has not yet been an increase in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in minors.

“The most that is being seen (in minors) is gastrointestinal, fever, nasal congestion and uncontrolled asthma,” he said.

He agreed on the importance of vaccination against the virus.

“The bivalent vaccine (against COVID-19) is important. Many do not understand that this vaccine is important because it covers other types (of the virus) that are circulating, ”he added, stressing that the vaccine also continues to be free.

According to Salud, these pharmacies have antivirals against COVID-19: https://www.salud.gov.pr/CMS/DOWNLOAD/6054. And these are the treatment centers that have the test against the virus available: https://www.salud.gov.pr/CMS/DOWNLOAD/7028.