How well do COVID antivirals actually work? Not as well as we thought
New research suggests that with high levels of vaccination and immunity from previous infections, COVID antivirals are no longer working as well.
In Australia, free or subsidised COVID antivirals have been offered to those aged over 70, or over 50 with underlying health conditions, who have tested positive for the virus. However, recent studies suggest that these antivirals are not as effective as previously believed due to high vaccination rates and prior infection immunity.
The research found that Paxlovid, when taken early in the course of illness, reduced severe outcomes by 40%, while Lagevrio showed no significant improvement in hospitalization or death rates. Despite the high costs, from 2022 to 2025, the Australian government spent over A$2 billion on antivirals. With the majority of the population now vaccinated and having been infected multiple times, the risk of severe illness from COVID is decreasing, making the effectiveness of these antivirals even more limited.
While there may be some benefit to Paxlovid, its use should be carefully considered due to potential risks and side effects. Although COVID can still cause severe illness, particularly in older adults, the number of cases and hospitalizations has decreased compared to previous years.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
