What is Paxlovid?
When you’re infected with the COVID19 virus, it starts to multiply inside your nose and throat. Paxlovid is an antiviral medication that reduces the COVID-19 virus from multiplying in your body. When taken within the first 5 days of symptoms, PAXLOVID can help keep COVID19 from becoming severe.
Who should use Paxlovid?
Paxlovid is FDA-approved to treat adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk of experiencing severe COVID-19-related complications, it is not approved as a preventive measure against COVID-19.
How do I take Paxlovid?
It is recommended that you take your first dose of PAXLOVID in the morning or evening (depending on when you pick up your prescription), or at the time our provider recommends.
How long do I take Paxlovid?
Depending on your medical history or current health conditions, dosing may vary. However, the typical schedule is three pills, twice daily for five days. Be sure to let your provider know if you have a kidney disease as dosing may differ.
- Do not remove your PAXLOVID tablets from the blister card before you are ready to take your dose
- All tablets in a dose should be taken at once or one right after the other
- Swallow tablets whole. Do not break, chew, or crush the tablets
- PAXLOVID can be taken with or without food
Is Paxlovid safe to use?
Paxlovid is a FDA approved medication, so it has undergone stringent testing. However, like all medications it has side effects which include: impaired sense of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache and high blood pressure.
It is important that you let our providers know if you have kidney or liver issues, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have HIV-1 infection. If you have any of these conditions, you may need to consider an alternative to Paxlovid.
PAXLOVID can interact with other medicines, causing severe or life-threatening side effects or death. Do not take PAXLOVID if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- alfuzosin
- amiodarone
- apalutamide
- carbamazepine
- colchicine
- dihydroergotamine
- dronedarone
- eletriptan
- eplerenone
- ergotamine
- finerenone
- flecainide
- flibanserin
- ivabradine
- lomitapide
- lovastatin
- lumacaftor/ivacaftor
- lurasidone
- methylergonovine
- midazolam (oral)
- naloxegol
- phenobarbital
- phenytoin
- pimozide
- primidone
- propafenone
- quinidine
- ranolazine
- rifampin
- rifapentine
- St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum)
- sildenafil (Revatio®) for pulmonary arterial hypertension
- silodosin
- simvastatin
- tolvaptan
- triazolam
- ubrogepant
- voclospori
If there is a concern for a drug interaction between Paxlovid and a medication you are currently taking, please let our providers know your current medications and we will either recommend adjusting the dose of your current medication or recommend a different antiviral medication for COVID.
What is Paxlovid Rebound?
Paxlovid Rebound happens when there is a recurrence of COVID-19 after taking Paxlovid and recovering from the illness. It is unclear how many COVID-19 cases are a result of a Paxlovid rebound, but the good news is, there are no reports of rebound infections causing severe disease. A new study also found that COVID “rebound” was only seen in 1% of patients who took oral antivirals like Paxlovid and was not associated with an increased risk of mortality. The rebound phenomenon is not a reason to avoid taking Paxlovid, especially if you have risk factors for severe illness.
Will my health insurance cover the cost of Paxlovid?
We cannot determine if your health insurance will pay for your Paxlovid. Benefit varies by insurance plan.
How do I get my Paxlovid prescription from Chesapeake Telemedicine?
Book an appointment that is convenient for you.
Schedule Appointment