Covid-19 – New Pfizer Drug Reduces Hospitalization, Deaths by Almost 90%

Drugmaker Pfizer announced on Friday November 5 that it’s new, oral Covid-19 drug has been found to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in high-risk people by nearly 90 percent.

“The scheduled interim analysis showed an 89% reduction in risk of Covid-19-related hospitalization or death from any cause compared to placebo in patients treated within three days of symptom onset,” said the company in a press release.

According to Pfizer, if the new drug, called Paxlovid, is approved or authorized, it would be the first oral antiviral of its kind. The drugmaker says Paxlovid is meant to be prescribed at the first signs of infection or awareness of exposure, and can potentially help people avoid severe illness. It works by blocking an enzyme the coronavirus needs to replicate. “Today’s news is a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic,” Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, said in a statement. He added that “These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations.”

CDC recommends Pfizer vaccine for younger children

The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, CDC has formally recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. A key CDC advisory panel voted in favour of the recommendation earlier on Tuesday November 2. Pfizer announced the proposed dose for younger children is one-third the dose given to people over age 12. Children between 5 and 11 years old would receive two injections spaced about 3 weeks apart. According to United Press International (UPI), the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) agree that children in this age range can receive the vaccine. White House Coronavirus Response coordinator, Jeffrey Zients said Monday November 1 that the Biden administration has ordered enough vaccines to cover all U.S. children in the 5–11 age range, reported the news outlet.

Global pandemic deaths reach 5 million

Globally, there have been more than 248.9 million confirmed Covid-19 cases and more than 5 million associated deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has seen the highest number of recorded deaths, losing more than 746,000 people to Covid-19. According to the U.N. secretary-general, this number represents a failure in the worldwide fight against the pandemic. “This devastating milestone reminds us that we are failing much of the world.  This is a global shame. It would be a mistake to think that the pandemic is over,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement. “As restrictions ease in many places, we must also match vaccines with vigilance — including through smart and proven public health measures like masking and social distancing,” he added. In Cameroon as of November 7, 2021, coronavirus Cases stand at 104,348, 1,731 deaths and 80,433 recovered cases.

Ingrid KENGNE