By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Livingston County residents who test positive for COVID-19 can now ask their health care provider about a pair of oral medication treatments.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging those who contract the virus to ask their doctor if one of two oral medications that have recently received emergency use authorization from the FDA might be right for them. Paxlovid and molnupiravir are designed for outpatient treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. These treatments must be prescribed by a professional.

Officials say when taken by a non-hospitalized patient with conditions that put them at high risk of severe illness within five days of symptom onset, these antivirals may reduce those symptoms and the risk of hospitalization.

The medications are available at no cost to patients. MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said, in a release, that while they urge Michiganders who test positive to talk with their health care provider to determine the best course of treatment, it is “important to remember these drugs are still in limited supply and are not a substitution for protecting yourself by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in public places.”

Additional information on these therapies and others that remain in limited supply, such as monoclonal antibodies, can be found in the attachment and provided link.