S. Korea approves emergency use of Pfizer antiviral pill

SEOUL • South Korea authorised for emergency use Pfizer's antiviral pills targeting Covid-19, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said yesterday.

South Korea restored tough distancing curbs last week after easing them last month, after a series of record daily new infections and serious cases stretched medical services, despite a vaccination rate of more than 92 per cent for those aged 18 or older.

Pfizer's oral antiviral treatment, called Paxlovid, is "expected to help prevent serious deterioration of patients admitted to residential treatment centres or being treated at home" by diversifying coronavirus treatments beyond injections currently used in the field, drug safety minister Kim Gang-lip told a media briefing.

The drug will be used for adults or children 12 years or older weighing more than 40kg, with mild to moderate symptoms with a high risk of developing a severe case of coronavirus due to causes such as underlying diseases.

Another oral coronavirus treatment called molnupiravir, developed by Merck and which is known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, applied for emergency use earlier this month, but the ministry is still reviewing it as it needs additional information on efficacy, Mr Kim said.

REUTERS