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Covid-19 treatments are widely available to at-risk New Yorkers, but many who can benefit from them may not even realize they exist.

Such a treatment is antiviral drug D., president of New York City’s Test and Trace Corps, a city program that provides free testing and support to New Yorkers. Ted Long said that the program called Paxlovid was very effective. Covid-19.

Dr. “For every 20 New Yorkers we treat with Paxlovid, we prevent one New Yorker from getting sick enough to require hospitalization,” Long said.

coronavirus cases in New York increased by 6 percent It has been in the past two weeks, largely driven by the highly contagious Omicron subvariable BA.2, according to The New York Times follower. Hospitalizations increased by 23 percent in the same time period.

Hundreds of thousands of Paxlovid pills across the country unusedand the White House announced plans to expand access this week.

The city’s health department did not say how many pills were distributed in New York, but health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said the intake was “significant”. This city has worked to spread the word through newspaper advertisements and public service announcements.

Dr. “We are at a new stage in the fight against the epidemic, with a range of tools at our disposal,” Vasan said.

But some experts believe that very few people know about the treatments.

Epidemiology professor Dr. “I’m not really sure that the average person who needs Paxlovid – I mean the elderly, those with comorbidities or the medically vulnerable, unvaccinated – knows this critical information,” said Denis Nash. City University of New York.

Paxlovid, an authorized Pfizer drug end of DecemberIt is one of the few available treatments that has proven effective against Covid-19. preferred by federal government and New York officials for how effectively it reduced the risk of death and hospitalization from Covid-19 in high-risk, unvaccinated adults during trials.

Here’s an overview of the various Covid-19 treatments and how to get them in New York.

What Covid-19 treatments are available?

Both oral antiviral therapies and monoclonal antibodies are available. Dr. Vasan said that antiviral pills work by interrupting the cycle of viruses that infect cells and then take over those cells to multiply in the body. Monoclonal antibodies work by sweeping away the proteins produced by viruses, which helps boost a person’s immune system.

Two oral antiviral pills are available for Covid-19 in New York: Paxlovid and molnupiravir.

Paxlovid is prescribed as: three pills taken twice a day for five dayswhile molnupiravir — Use allowed in December – is prescribed as four pills taken twice a day for five days.

Both pills are available through Alto, an online pharmacy, and at a select number of pharmacies throughout the city. You can find a list of nearby on a federal website.

Dr. Vasan said most New Yorkers seeking antiviral treatments should expect to take Paxlovid given its effectiveness.

There are also two antibody treatments that have been shown to be effective against BA.2 in laboratory studies: Bebtelovimab, Use allowed in February and intravenous and Evusheld, Use allowed in Decemberfor people who are allergic to vaccines or who are immunocompromised.

Who is suitable for treatments?

For most treatments, city officials prioritize not only those who test positive for coronavirus, but also those who have mild to moderate symptoms and are at high risk of developing serious illness. (Evusheld is given to people before they test positive.)

If you are 65 years of age or older or have health risks such as diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, you are considered to be at high risk of developing serious illness from Covid-19. People who are immunocompromised are also considered at high risk.

The federal government urged providers prioritizing treatments for people who have not been vaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated.

To take paxlovid, bebtelovimab, and Evusheld, you must be over 12 years old and weigh more than 40 kilograms or approximately 88 pounds. However, you must be at least 18 years old to take molnupiravir.

People with severe kidney or liver disease may not be suitable for Paxlovid and molnupiravir Cannot be used during pregnancy. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should talk to their healthcare provider before taking Paxlovid. According to FDA fact sheet for treatment.

Chief medical officer of ambulatory care at New York City Health and Hospitals, Dr. Andrew Wallach said it’s important for patients to talk to their providers about the medications they’re taking, as they can interact negatively with treatments.

How can I get them?

After you test positive, you should notify your doctor to determine your eligibility or call the city’s Covid-19 hotline (212-268-4319) and dial 9 to connect with one of the city’s doctors. You can also visit Virtual Express Care scheduling a phone or video visit, or city ​​scan tool more.

Once the doctor has decided which treatment is right for you, it will be sent to a nearby pharmacy or to your home. The city’s partnership with Alto Pharmacy enables same-day home delivery.

Biden’s administration recently announced a “test for cure” initiativeThis makes it possible to get tested for coronavirus at certain pharmacies, and if you test positive, you get free antiviral pills on the spot. you can find locations on the federal website.

do i have to pay

Dr. Vasan said it’s currently free for all New Yorkers.

Are the treatments effective?

Oral treatments have been proven to reduce hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 when taken soon after the onset of symptoms.

Paxlovid reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 88 percent in high-risk, unvaccinated people when taken within five days of the onset of symptoms. A Pfizer trial published in DecemberBefore the Omicron wave.

Molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 30 percent in high-risk, unvaccinated people when taken within five days of symptom onset. According to an analysis from Merck That is, it was published in November.

Bebtelovimab, which must be administered within seven days of the onset of symptoms not tested in a study This could indicate whether it could prevent serious disease, and the Food and Drug Administration said it shouldn’t be a treatment of choice.

Evusheld, which can be applied every six months, powerfully effective in preventing Covid in a clinical trial.

Dr. Wallach said Paxlovid was “well tolerated.” Side effects that were few in clinical trials included diarrhea, hypertension, and pain.

Because bebtelovimab is given intravenously, some people may have a rash at the injection site.

How many New Yorkers have received these treatments?

It’s hard to say. Patrick Gallahue, a spokesman, said the health department was unable to provide data, in part because it “doesn’t have visibility into the entire universe of pharmacies” distributing most treatments.

Dr. There is a record of immunizations tracking vaccines, but no record of prescription drugs, Nash said.

“It’s a problem that they don’t keep their pulse because that’s the main thing that will help us control these surges, hospitalizations and deaths,” he said. “That plus vaccines and boosters.”

Dr. Nash worried that inequalities seen at all stages of the pandemic, including testing and the availability of vaccines, would reappear with these treatments.

“If you don’t anticipate that fundamental inequalities in access to health care will grow, if you don’t plan for it, then you’re doing a bad job of caring for the most vulnerable people. in the city,” said Dr. Nash.

How has the broadcast gone so far?

Treatments are now available through Alto Pharmacy and community health centers. The health department is working to expand access to brick-and-mortar pharmacies throughout the city as well. Ultimately, government officials decide how treatments are allocated to pharmacies.

Colombo’s Pharmacy in Queens is one of the places that currently offers Paxlovid and molnupiravir.

Earlier this month, she received her first batch of 20 doses of each drug. Pharmacist David Kandov said only five people have requested treatment so far.

Dr. Kandov expressed his disappointment at how long it took to get the first batch, saying the network he belongs to has failed to provide access to the drugs since December when it was first allowed.

He blamed the ministry of health. Dr. “They effectively kept us out of this and cut off access to communities,” Kandov said. “Because at the end of the day, while everything is available virtually, mail order and that sort of thing are not the same as having patients right there in their community.”

“The city offers a delivery model that provides quick access to any New York address, starting at a time when supplies were scarce to stock brick-and-mortar pharmacies across the city,” said Mr. Gallahue. “As supplies get better, more pharmacies are on board.”