Coronavirus Pandemic: Germany to buy 1 million packages of Paxlovid pills against COVID-19

Germany will purchase a million packages of the Paxlovid antiviral drug against COVID-19 by Pfizer, and the first batches are expected in January, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told the German dpa news agency on Tuesday.

"It is an extremely promising medication, as timely taking of the medicine significantly reduces the probability of a grave course of the disease," the minister said.

Due to a combination of vaccination and treatment, COVID-19 is becoming a "less and less frightening disease," according to Lauterbach, who added that Germany cooperates with all producers of these medicines.

"Together with the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, I initiated the procedure of emergency approval of the medicine in Germany, so that Paxlovid could be used right after purchase," Lauterbach said.

Paxlovid is designed for patients at high risk of hospitalization or death, with a mild or medium course of the disease. The pills decrease the COVID-related hospitalization likelihood by at least 88% in groups with increased risk, according to Pfizer.

To date, over 70% of people in Germany have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

On Thursday, Germany confirmed the first death from the Omicron coronavirus variant. Prior to that, Lauterbach said the country expects to receive BioNTech vaccines adapted to Omicron in the first quarter of 2022.

(ANI/Sputnik)