This week Health Canada approved the country's first antiviral medication that can be prescribed and taken at home to help those most vulnerable from being ‘seriously ill’.  The medication, called Paxlovid, developed and manufactured by Pfizer, is predicted to be an important tool in the battle against COVID-19.

According to Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, the medication being cleared for use in Canada is a ‘game changer’ but insisted that it’s not the primary solution. “This is something we were waiting for,” said the EOHU’s top doctor. “Combined with the vaccinations, the public health precautions and antivirals it will allow us to better protect the most vulnerable people and better protect our health care system. 

He added that “This does not replace vaccination, it’s a supplemental tool.”

The medication, which will be available for prescription, can help those most at risk which in return will stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. “This is an antiviral medication that when given early on - first 5 days - can diminish the need for hospitalization up to 80-90% depending on when you take it,” explained Dr. Roumeliotis.  “It will protect our healthcare system and allow us to enter that endemic state, where we live with it [the virus].”

Active cases in Eastern Ontario continue to diminish with the test positivity ‘on a downwards trend too’, although Dr. Roumeliotis explained that the EOHU have reduced the scope of their testing. 

There are currently 35 people hospitalized, of which 8 are in the ICU, all of whom were admitted due to the virus.