The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 oral antiviral pill Paxlovid for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults. Paxlovid is the first oral treatment, and the fourth drug, approved by the agency to treat COVID-19 in adults.
Pharmacists can prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday that's intended to expand use of Pfizer's drug Paxlovid.
Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 made up almost 35% of new COVID-19 infections last week in the U.S., according to the CDC. That's why experts say breakthrough infections are rising.