Study: Paxlovid May Reduce Long COVID Risk

Facts

• Researchers from the US Veterans Health Administration have revealed the results of a new study showing that taking Paxlovid — a five-day course of antiviral pills — can reduce the risk of developing long COVID.
• Paxlovid, which is made by Pfizer and is available in the US for free with a prescription, was proven to reduce the risk of hospitalization in high-risk COVID patients.
• Symptoms of long COVID, in parameters defined by this study, include heart issues, blood disorders, fatigue, and breathing trouble. The symptoms occur one to three months after testing positive as defined by this study.
• The study, which hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, was based on electronic records for 56K veterans with COVID, including more than 9K who took Paxlovid as directed. Those who were treated with Paxlovid were 26% less likely to develop long COVID conditions.
• The study was limited in its demographics, as the majority of the participants were white males. Limiting the symptoms of long COVID to only 12 identified conditions was also a limiting factor.

Sources: NPR Online News, Fortune, and CNN.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Washington Post. This study is a major breakthrough, highlighting the many positive impacts Paxlovid can have for COVID patients. It also provides data for researchers to further investigate how reducing viral load early can lessen the effects of, or even prevent, long COVID. Long-sought treatments for long COVID may finally be on the horizon.
• Narrative B, as provided by The New York Times. We should be careful not to overstate the impact of this study. Nearly 75% of the participants were white men with an average age of 65, so it's a small sample size. Long COVID conditions weren’t eliminated, and in some cases, they weren't prevented. There’s still a lot of work to do, and for now, Paxlovid should be a part of a suite of approaches.