Province asks for patience again amid surge in demand for Paxlovid

Well being P.E.I. is asking for persistence as soon as once more amid a surge in demand for the COVID-19 antiviral therapy Paxlovid. 

The province says it is seeing between 30 and 40 new referrals per day for the therapy, with a complete of three,725 doses being administered since January when it was authorized to be used by Well being Canada.

Director of hospital providers Cheryl Banks mentioned on Thursday the demand exhibits campaigns to advertise the therapy within the province have been profitable. 

“It is actually proven to be useful in reducing the severity of illness and the chance of hospitalization,” she mentioned.

“It’s laborious to get to everybody. So if you happen to can contact your personal well being care supplier, that is in all probability the quickest manner that you are going to have the ability to get of it … We simply want a bit of little bit of persistence in that. You could not get a name the day that you simply get a constructive check and even for a few days after. However our objective is to achieve everybody earlier than day 5.”

Paxlovid is at present out there for many Islanders over the age of fifty and people over 18 who’re immunocompromised.

The five-day oral therapy must be taken inside 5 days of the onset of signs.

Solely nurse practitioners and physicians can prescribe Paxlovid, although laws just lately modified to permit for pharmacists to take action as is the case in different provinces.

“There’s a little little bit of groundwork that should occur to ensure that them to have the ability to try this. So we’re form of working to get that accomplished as rapidly as we probably can,” Banks mentioned.

“We simply must form of get them the data and the sources they want to have the ability to try this safely.”

Those that need entry to Paxlovid must get a confirmatory COVID-19 check accomplished at one of many province’s testing centres, then get in contact with their major care supplier or name 811. 

A couple of weeks in the past, the province introduced it had efficiently cleared a backlog of sufferers ready to obtain the therapy which started on the July 1 vacation weekend.