Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral Covid treatment has arrived in Andalucia

Andalucia has received its first delivery of the Paxlovid antiviral Covid treatment from Pfizer

This Monday, March 28, the Ministry of Health in Andalucia took delivery of 2,129 doses of Paxlovid, Pfizer’s new antiviral Covid-19 treatment. This drug is intended for patients who, despite having mild symptoms of the virus, may evolve to serious risk. It acts to control the progression of the infection, and helps to curb hospitalisation and deaths.

Of the 2,129 doses, 853 have been received at the Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Sevilla. Another 638 have been sent to the Bidafarma facilities, also in Sevilla, with another similar amount to the pharmaceutical company in Granada.

In total, Spain has so far received 11,900 Paxlovid treatments, from the total of 344,000 that it has acquired from the pharmaceutical company for this year. More batches will be arriving in the coming weeks, with 50,000 planned to arrive in total this quarter.

This medication, which consists of three tablets for oral administration, is incorporated into the other National Health System treatments, such as vaccines, and will be dispensed under medical prescription. It should be administered as soon as possible after the diagnosis of Covid-19 and within five days of the onset of symptoms.

Paxlovid has the endorsement of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and conditional authorisation for its administration in Spain. In tests it has shown an efficacy of 89 per cent in reducing the relative risk of hospitalisation or death in mild patients with a high risk of progression to Covid-19 serious.

The Permanent Pharmacy Commission, the co-governance body of the Interterritorial Council of the SNS in the field of pharmaceutical policy, has agreed that the indication and prescription of Paxlovid will be carried out by the medical professional who makes the diagnosis, both in the field of Primary and Specialised Care, as reported by laopiniondemalaga.es.