There are two new treatment options for newly infected COVID-19 patients that can be performed at home.

But this convenience also comes with a problem: once symptoms appear, the medicine must be taken as soon as possible.

The challenge is to take the test, get a prescription, and start taking the drug in a short time.

Last week, US regulators approved Pfizer’s pills Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir. Among high-risk patients, although Pfizer’s effect is much better, both have shown to reduce the chance of hospitalization or death due to COVID-19.

look carefully:

Who should take these pills?

Antiviral drugs are not suitable for all people who test positive. These pills are suitable for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 who are more likely to be seriously ill. This includes the elderly and people with other health problems such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes, which makes them more vulnerable. Both pills are suitable for adults, and Paxlovid is authorized for children 12 years and older.

Who should not take these pills?

Merck’s molnupiravir is not approved for use in children because it may interfere with bone growth. Due to the possibility of birth defects, it is not recommended for pregnant women. Pfizer pills are not recommended for patients with severe kidney or liver problems. For some people, it may not be the best choice, as it may interact with other prescriptions the patient is taking. Antiviral pills are not authorized for use in people hospitalized with COVID-19.

What is the treatment window?

These pills must be taken as soon as possible within five days of the onset of symptoms. Cough, headache, fever, loss of taste or smell, and muscle and body pain are more common symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a website to check your symptoms.

Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease expert at Duke University Hospital, recommends that you get tested immediately after you develop symptoms of COVID-19.

“If you wait until you start to breathe out, you have largely missed the window where these drugs are useful,” Wolff said.

Where can I buy pills?

You first need a prescription from a doctor or other authorized health worker. The US government is buying these pills from Merck and Pfizer and providing them for free, but the initial supply is limited. They will be shipped to pharmacies, community health centers and other places in the states. The treatment lasted five days.

Some pharmacists may be able to perform a quick COVID-19 test and prescribe all pills in a single visit. They have done this for flu or strep throat in many states.

Are the pills effective for OMICRON variants?

These pills are expected to be effective against omicron because they do not target the spike protein where the worrying mutation of most variants is located. These two pills work in different ways to prevent the virus from multiplying.

Are there other options for new COVID-19 patients?

Yes, but they are not as easy to use as pills: they are given by intravenous or injection, usually in a hospital or clinic. Three drugs provide antiviral antibodies, although laboratory tests have shown that these two drugs are not effective against omicron. British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline’s antibody drugs appear to be effective, and officials say they are working to increase supplies in the United States. Remdesivir, the only approved antiviral drug in the United States, is suitable for patients hospitalized with COVID-19.