Pfizer's COVID-19 pill now available

Paxlovid, Pfizer's COVID-19 pill, is now available at community-level clinics in some districts in Shanghai.

The health authorities of Minhang district confirmed with China Daily that now all 14 community-level medical institutions in the district can prescribe the anti-COVID-19 drug for patients, with one box for each person.

Some community clinics in Huangpu and Pudong districts also told the news portal thepaper.cn that the drug is available now, mainly for senior positive infectors with potential risks of developing serious symptoms.

Azvudine, a domestically developed drug treating adult COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms, is also available in the city's 115 second-tier and top-level hospitals, as well as 113 community clinics from January 3, Shanghai Observer reported. The price is 270 yuan per bottle with 35 pills.

The National Medical Products Administration said on Friday that it has granted conditional market approval for the import of Merck's Molnupiravir. With this latest approval, a total of three COVID-19 pills, including Paxlovid and Azvudine, are all available in China.