New Covid Pill

The May 13th issue of the journal Nature reported that a new pill containing the antiviral compound ensitrelvir was effective in preventing transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed 2,000 subjects in households with one person who had confirmed COVID. Transmission of infection occurred in 3% of individuals taking a 5-day course of ensitrelvir versus 9% in the placebo group, and infections were milder in the treatment group. Side effects were similar to Paxlovid, an established antiviral used to treat COVID infection. Paxlovid, however, failed to lower transmission rates in an earlier clinical trial.

The new pill will provide an option for vulnerable individuals with a high risk of COVID exposure, such as nursing home residents.