Pfizer’s Antiviral COVID-19 Pill Lowers Risks 89%

A recent Interesting Engineering article discussed a new pill from Pfizer that’s intended to treat COVID-19. A press release from the company says the oral medication can reduce a patient’s risk of hospitalization or death by a whopping 89% when taken within the first five days of symptoms. The pill, called Paxlovid, is similar to one from Merck that received U.K. approval last week. Now, Pfizer is seeking emergency use authorization for its oral antiviral candidate with data claiming it “has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations.”