Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that 48,000 stocks of Paxlovid, the oral Covid-19 antiviral drug developed by Pfizer have arrived in Malaysia.
Through a tweet on his personal Twitter, Dr Noor Hisham expressed his gratitude with the arrival of 48,000 stocks of Paxlovid pills PF -07321332/Nirmatrelvir 150mg film-coated tablets & Ritonavir 100mg film-coated through Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd.
He added that Paxlovid users are not a substitute for the Covid-19 vaccine instead it is an antiviral drug to treat Covid-19, in addition to existing vaccinations that will detect the virus within 5 symptomatic days.
In addition, he added side effects of Paxlovid use include muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure and changes in the sense of taste.
Nonetheless, Dr Noor Hisham stressed that Paxlovid would only be used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients aged 18 and above who did not require respiratory assistance and those with severe symptoms only.
Meanwhile, last month through Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, gave conditional approval for the use of Paxlovid Pfizer to treat adults, besides stating that the ministry was looking to get 2 more antiviral drugs, namely Molnupiravir Merck and Covid AstraZeneca antibody.
However, so far Paxlovid is the first oral pill specifically designed to treat Covid-19 approved in Malaysia.
