WC Wisconsin News

People are now able to take a pill to greatly lessen their risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19.

Paxlovid is a drug that only works in the coronavirus’ early stages, so it won’t save someone’s life if they are already on a ventilator, according to WEAU.

“It’s used in patients who are positive and also have risk factors that may lead to hospitalization and severe disease and death," Marshfield Clinic pharmacist Steve Bartig said, according to WEAU.

The FDA gave Pfizer's Paxlovid emergency use authorization in late December 2021, according to WEAU.

“It would be something that you would take at home,” Bartig said. “You can get it from a pharmacy, take it home and administer it at home.”

Studies show Paxlovid reduces hospitalization by 80 to 85%, according to WEAU.

“When it comes to training our bodies how to recognize COVID-19 and get our immune system prepped for that, the vaccine is the safest way to be able to do that," Eau Claire City-County Health Department Audrey Bourner said, per WEAU.

The health department does not keep track of Paxlovid and COVID-19 pill use. The pill and other early treatments help to keep the health care system's heads above water during a COVID-19 surge, according to WEAU.

“As we experienced in previous waves and most recently in the omicron wave, it is scary and a real possibility to overwhelm our hospital systems,” Audrey Boerner with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department said, according to WEAU. “So anything we can do when it comes to prevention and treatment when it comes to preventing straining that so important hospital system, that’s something for us to really pay attention to.”