Britain To Roll Out Pfizer Covid-19 Pill

By Web Desk — From next month, Britain start rolling out Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill to vulnerable people, the health ministry said on Friday, targeting the treatment for people with weak immune systems for whom the vaccine may be less effective.

According to the health ministry Pfizer’s antiviral treatment Paxlovid, a combination of Pfizer’s pill with an older antiviral ritonavir, will be made available to thousands of people from February 10.

National Health Service medical director Stephen Powis said, “It is fantastic news that this new treatment, the latest cutting-edge drug that the NHS is rolling out through new COVID-19 medicine delivery units, will now be available to help those at highest risk of COVID-19.”

“Trials have shown it can reduce hospitalisation and risk of death by 88%, meaning we’ll be in the best position to save thousands of lives,” he added.

The health ministry officials said that people who were immune compromised, cancer patients or those with Down’s Syndrome could be able to access it directly.

Britain has ordered 2.75 million courses of Paxlovid, and the government said that it would set out further details on access to the treatment soon.