New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced that COVID antiviral pills are now available for free, same-day, at-home delivery through the Health Department’s pharmacy partner, Alto Pharmacy. These are “available for those who test positive for COVID-19 and have mild to moderate symptoms.”
“We’ve not only decreased the amount of cases by more than 80 percent since early January, but hit a new milestone with 75 percent of all New Yorkers fully vaccinated — way ahead of the national average,” said Adams in a recent press briefing. “We’re also offering high-risk New Yorkers, free, at-home delivery of COVID-19 antiviral pills to prevent serious illness and keep people out of the hospital. I urge all eligible New Yorkers to take advantage of this service, and for every New Yorker to stay up to date with their vaccines and boosters. This is about saving lives and getting our city moving again.”
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Those who’ve tested positive and are at higher risk of severe illness will be given priority due to limited supplies.
NYC.gov breaks down the options:
Oral antiviral pills — taken daily for five days — help to stop the virus from reproducing, which reduces the amount of virus in the body and prevents symptoms from getting worse. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized two oral antiviral pills to treat COVID-19: Paxlovid and Molnupiravir.
Monoclonal antibody treatments are a one-time injection or intravenous treatment that offer antibody protection while the body works to produce its own antibodies. Monoclonal antibody treatments, such as Sotrovimab, are effective against the Omicron variant and are for patients who have mild to moderate symptoms for 10 days or less but are at high-risk for severe illness.
New Yorkers who have symptoms and test positive should contact their health care provider or call 311 to be connected to medical care, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. New Yorkers can also talk to a NYC Health + Hospitals doctor by visiting ExpressCare and clicking on “Talk to a Doctor Now,” or by calling 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).
