Paxlovid Does Not Work Against ‘Long COVID’: Study

Out of the 31 long COVID conditions, Paxlovid was found to minimize the incidence of only one.

Pfizer's Paxlovid is displayed in Pembroke Pines, Fla., on July 7, 2022. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid failed to reduce most of the medical complications when used in the treatment of long COVID, according to a recent study.

Paxlovid is a combination of two medications, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, which are taken together as pills within the first five days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. The Oct. 31 study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, measured the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir–ritonavir medications in preventing post-COVID-19 conditions (PCCs) after the initial infection, also called long COVID.