Corona 'Oral Treatment' Arrives Domestically Next Week... Pfizer's 'Paxlovid'

Prime Minister Kim: "Preparing for Swift Use in Medical Field"... Government to Announce Next Week's Medication Target and Utilization Plan

Pfizer COVID-19 Treatment Pill 'Paxlovid' [Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] Oral COVID-19 treatments will arrive in South Korea next week. This has been confirmed as part of the contract for Pfizer's treatment, Paxlovid.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced this on the 7th during the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting at the Government Seoul Office, stating, "We will prepare promptly so that it can be used in medical settings without delay."

Previously, the government signed purchase contracts for a total of 1,004,000 doses, including 762,000 doses of Pfizer's Paxlovid and 242,000 doses of Merck & Company (MSD)'s Molnupiravir. Some of the Pfizer Paxlovid doses are expected to be imported around the 13th. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer's Paxlovid last month.

The specific target group for the first domestic introduction of the oral treatment has not yet been announced. Currently, the most likely plan is to administer it to mild patients either admitted to residential treatment centers or undergoing home treatment to prevent progression to severe illness. This is expected to help reduce the number of severe and critical cases. The government plans to announce the utilization plan in line with the import schedule next week.

Regarding the recent trend in COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Kim evaluated that "there has been a clear decline for two consecutive weeks." However, he expressed concern about the very rapid spread of the Omicron variant, emphasizing, "To manage Omicron, we must completely innovate the current quarantine system from the perspectives of 'speed' and 'efficiency'." The government plans to hold a public forum led by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to begin discussions on reforming the quarantine system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.