What you should know
- Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday that New Yorkers can now access free, same-day oral antiviral pills at home to combat symptoms of COVID-19. The pills will be prioritized for New Yorkers who test positive for the virus and are at higher risk of severe illness.
- Same-day treatment is the latest service provided by the city to meet New Yorkers where they are. At least 8 million home tests have already been distributed across the city to help residents test for the virus.
- New Yorkers who test positive for COVID should contact their doctors to request an antiviral pill delivery, or they can call 212-COVID19.
—
As Omicron cases decline and New York City appears to emerge from the latest wave of variants, city officials say they remain focused on implementing new tools to keep people safe and combat the virus.
Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday that New Yorkers can now access free, same-day oral antiviral pills at home to combat symptoms of COVID-19. The pills will be prioritized for New Yorkers who test positive for the virus and are at higher risk of severe illness.
Same-day treatment is the latest service provided by the city to meet New Yorkers where they are. At least 8 million home tests have already been distributed across the city to help residents test for the virus.
“We’re also offering high-risk New Yorkers free home delivery of COVID-19 antiviral pills to prevent serious illness and keep people out of the hospital,” Adams said. “I urge all New Yorkers who meet the criteria to take advantage of this service and all New Yorkers to stay current on their shots and boosters.”
To date, 75% of all New Yorkers have completed a full series of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to city data. However, booster shots remain a goal that city officials hope to improve on. The number of additional injections administered citywide is just over 2.6 million, suggesting that only 1 in 3 New Yorkers have received a booster.
“As a primary care physician here in the Bronx, for the past two years I have been fighting to help my COVID-19 patients and dreaming of the day I could give them a pill that could save their lives,” he said on Sunday. Dr. Ted Long, Executive Director of NYC Test & Trace Corps. “Today, that day has finally arrived, and we will even send that pill to your home to remove all barriers for New Yorkers to receive this life-saving treatment.”
New Yorkers who test positive for COVID should contact their doctors to request an antiviral pill delivery, or they can call 212-COVID19.
Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir are the only two home-made options that have received FDA approval. Antiviral pills are taken once a day for five days to reduce symptoms.
New York State has prioritized treatments for those who are moderately to severely immunosuppressed, and those who are older and not fully vaccinated, with at least one risk factor for severe disease.
“New York City is not only winning in the fight against COVID-19, but we are delivering even more help directly to New Yorkers’ doorsteps to continue beating this pandemic,” Adams said. “Not only have we decreased the number of cases by more than 80 percent since the beginning of January, but we reached a new milestone with 75 percent of all New Yorkers fully vaccinated, well above the national average.”
–
