Its possible that one of these drugs will be available within the year, experts say.
What Is an Antiviral Drug?
that fight off viruses in your body.They are only available through prescription.
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And they are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections.
The program is also geared towards the development of antivirals for high-risk viruses that could potentially cause other pandemics.
This is just one prong of the governments plan to be better equipped against present and future viral threats.
Why Are Antivirals Necessary?
There will still be cases and we will still need to treat them years from now.
Getting antivirals on the market is also important in curbing potential future threats.
What This Means For You
There are currently no approved antiviral medications to treat COVID-19.
Getting vaccinated remains to be one of the best ways to protect yourself and others from the virus.
To find available COVID-19 vaccine appointments near you, visitVaccines.gov.
Antiviral medicines are already being used for a variety of viral diseases.
Swine flu is still an issue after 100 years.
We completed a randomized controlled trial ofcamostat mesylatefor COVID-19 outpatients.
The results are pending but will be available soon.
Experts say approval for some of these drugs may be arriving soon.
There are at least two oral antivirals in clinical testing right now, Adalja adds.
For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What you should know about flu antiviral drugs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID data tracker.