Oral medication for COVID-19 to first go to elderly, those with lower immunity

The country on Jan. 13 will launch the use of oral medication for COVID-19 for 21,000 people, with the pills from Jan. 14 to be prescribed and administered to patients age 65 or over or those with lower immune function. 

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Jan. 12 announced the nation's introduction of such medication and guidelines for its use.

Pfizer's Paxlovid will be the first oral pill for the coronavirus used in the country. The government has concluded contracts to supply such medication for 1,004,000 people. 

The pills will first go to those who show low- or medium-level symptoms for less than five days; those age 65 or over and undergoing telehomecare; and patients staying at government treatment centers or with lower levels of immunization.

Those undergoing telehomecare will receive the medication after receiving non-contact consultations with doctors or through local government entities or designated pharmacies. Patients at the centers will receive it through specialized medical teams.

Yoo Geun Hyuk, general coordinator of the headquarters, told a media briefing, "According to rough calculations, we can provide the medication from Jan. 14 to over 1,000 people a day."

The pills are free regardless of a recipient's vaccination history.

Patients must take one tablet in the morning and one at night for five days and continue doing so even if their symptoms improve before the period. They are also prohibited from selling leftover tablets.