COVID-19 Treatment

Both Molnupiravir and Paxlovid are antiviral treatments used to treat COVID-19. They are administered in pills, rather than an IV infusion. They are highly effective at decreasing the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and the risk of hospitalization or death, but must be taken within five days of the start of symptoms. A health care provider may prescribe these pills to be taken at home over several days, similar to an antibiotic.

Remdesivir, also called Veklury, is an antiviral medication that must be given via an IV (intravenous) infusion. It is FDA approved to be used in the hospital for 5-10 days in patients with severe COVID-19. A recent study has shown that it can also be used in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who have not been hospitalized. In this setting, it is given in a clinic via an IV infusion once daily for three consecutive days.

Some patients may experience rare but mild side effects. As with any medication, there is a very small chance of having an allergic reaction.

Molnupiravir is not recommended if you are pregnant, and reliable contraception should be used while taking the medication and four days following completion. You should also avoid breastfeeding during this time. Paxlovid is not recommended in some patients due to interactions with other medications.

These treatments prevent the disease from becoming more severe or requiring a hospital visit.  Studies have shown that the infusions and the pills both significantly reduce the chances of severe COVID-19. Most patients report improvement of symptoms within 24 to 48 hours after treatment.

People who have tested positive and are at a greater risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms get the most benefit from the treatment. Your provider can determine which treatment is right for you.

The treatment can only be given within five to ten days of illness, so it is important to seek medical care and take a test for COVID-19 as soon as you develop symptoms.

If you received a monoclonal antibody treatment, you do not need a vaccine until 90 days after treatment. The vaccines likely will not be effective until the antibodies have had a chance to go away. However, you should still get vaccinated once the 90-day period is over for stronger, longer-lasting protection from COVID-19. Oral antivirals and Remdesivir do not interfere at all with vaccines.

An antibody is a protein that is naturally produced by your body to help fight infection. A monoclonal antibody is made in a lab and works together with your body’s natural immune response. They make it more difficult for the virus to reproduce and cause harm and help to eliminate the virus from the body. Prior to COVID-19, monoclonal antibodies were used to treat other viral infections, such as Ebola and rabies.

As of January 30, 2023, all existing monoclonal antibodies, including those used for pre-exposure prophylaxis, are no longer authorized to be used in the United States. They have no predicted activity against current variants.

Monoclonal antibody therapy is a one-time intravenous infusion, also called an IV. An intravenous infusion delivers fluids, medication or nutrition directly into a person’s bloodstream using a needle or tube. The infusion lasts around 30 minutes, followed by a one-hour observation period, and you are monitored by FHCSD staff for the entire duration of your visit.