BMA hospitals will use Paxlovid to treat Covid-19 patients
Hospitals under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will soon receive Paxlovid tablets to treat Covid-19 patients after the Public Health Ministry approved the use of the new antiviral drug in addition to Favipiravir, Remdesivir and Molnupiravir.
“Paxlovid will be given to Covid-19 patients who have a high risk of developing severe symptoms. The drug has high efficacy in reducing hospitalisation and the death rate by up to 88 per cent in adult patients in risky groups,” BMA deputy permanent secretary Dr Wanthanee Watthana said on Wednesday.
Patients in risky groups include those who are over 60 years, overweight, or suffer from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, liver disease, respiratory disease, cancer, have low immunity, are unvaccinated or have received only one dose of vaccine.
“Three Paxlovid tablets must be taken at a time, twice a day for a period of five days,” Wanthanee advised.
“The drug should not be given to pregnant or nursing women or those who are on mixed hormones, such as birth control pills. This group of patients will instead be given Favipiravir or Fah Talai Jone,” he said.
The Public Health Ministry has bought 1.5 million Paxlovid tablets from Pfizer (Thailand), which can be used to treat 50,000 Covid-19 patients.
The company is required to deliver the drug to the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, which will be responsible for storage and distribution, by the end of April.