WASHINGTON — A pill to prevent COVID-19 after being exposed to the virus has been by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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It’s the first and only preventative oral medication approved by the agency.
The antiviral, called XOCOVA, is a five-day pill regimen approved for people ages 12 and older.
Three tablets are taken on the first day of treatment, and one tablet is taken on days two through five. It works by blocking viral replication before symptoms develop, according to drug maker Shionogi.
The preventative treatment reduced the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 67% during the drug trials when compared against a placebo.
Common side effects include headache, diarrhea and cough.
COVID-19, or coronavirus disease 2019, is an illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is highly contagious and can spread quickly.
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Common mild symptoms can include fever, cough, tiredness, and loss of taste or smell, whereas symptoms in severe cases can include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, loss of speech or mobility, confusion and chest pain.
The majority of cases are mild to moderate and do not require hospitalization or medical intervention. However, severe cases can be life-threatening.
About 1.2 million people in the U.S. are believed to have died from COVID-19 between 2019 and June 1, 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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