Saskatchewan to expand COVID treatments to include Paxlovid

The Government of Saskatchewan is ready and willing to use the recently approved antiviral COVID-19 pill once a supply lands in the province.

A news release from the province Tuesday said a shipment of Paxlovid — approved by Health Canada on Monday to treat people who test positive for COVID and are at high risk of severe outcomes — is expected to arrive by the end of this week.

The combination pill made by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is taken twice a day for five days by those with COVID. It stops the virus from multiplying to help people overcome the infection and potentially recover faster, the news release said.

Quantities are expected to be limited during the initial shipments before supply increases throughout the year. The release said details on eligibility criteria and how to access the medication are expected “in the coming days.”

“Currently there are not a means to accessing this medication in Saskatchewan until those details are announced,” Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency president Marlo Pritchard said during Tuesday’s Provincial Emergency Operations Centre update.

“For most residents, this treatment will not replace vaccinations.”

Monoclonal antibody treatment still available

The news release also offered a reminder about monoclonal antibody treatments that are available for people who have received a positive test result on either a rapid antigen test or a PCR to help prevent serious COVID-19 outcomes.

Dr. Satchan Takaya said Saskatchewan’s supply of human neutralizing monoclonal antibody Sotrovimab has been administered 50 times, mostly to people who are unvaccinated or are immunocompromised.

“The intake is all centralized, so if there is a patient who tests positive for COVID and feel that they may need Sotrovimab to prevent severe illness, they’re asked to call 811,” she said.

People who test positive for COVID-19 are eligible for Sotrovimab if they are immunocompromised, are within seven days of becoming symptomatic, are 55 years old, or are 18 with high-risk comorbidities.

Previously, the requirement had been within five days of becoming symptomatic.

Takaya, an infectious disease doctor, said the eligibility for Sotrovimab will most likely be the same as Paxlovid and that most people “won’t need it.”

“Most people are well-protected with their vaccination. Being fully vaccinated prevents that progression to severe disease,” she said.

“We’re still working on the process, but the eligibility as far as the risk factors are very similar to Sotrovimab.”