RAPID CITY, S.D. — Monument Health will soon receive a supply of a newly approved drug to help treat patients with COVID.
The Food and Drug Administration just gave its stamp of approval for the Pfizer drug, Paxlovid.
According to Vice President of Medical Affairs at Monument Health, Dr. Shankar Kurra, the new pill is up to 88% effective in preventing hospitalization if given within five days of diagnosis. However, the drug isn’t for everyone, but instead reserved for those at the highest risk of hospitalization – patients over the age of 65 and those who have underlying medical conditions.
“So the Paxlovid drug – recently approved as of today by the FDA – is just today approved, and we are promised a supply by the Department of Health,” Dr. Kurra says. “We will get a supply next week and have that ready to go for people.”
For those that are diagnosed early, Monument Health can treat with monoclonal antibodies. Dr. Kurra warns against misinformation about other drugs, such as Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin, which are not FDA-approved.
Dr. Kurra says the best defense against COVID is receiving a vaccine and a booster. While your at it, it’s a good time to think about getting the flu shot, as cases of influenza are on the rise in the area.
“This season there are two Influenza A – H1N1 and H3N2 – that it’s targeting. The H3N2 target is not precise match, and that’s where we’re seeing most of the cases being reported is H3N2,” Dr. Kurra says. “The vaccine still protects you from severe illness and death. So it’s important to get the vaccine.”
Dr. Kurra says continuing to take precautions such as avoiding large crowds and wearing mask can minimize the impact of illness in the community.
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