Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
Will COVID-19 pills help relieve current wave of infections?
Medical staff wearing protective gear work in an intensive care unit for COVID-19 patients at Hyemin Hospital in Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea to introduce Pfizer's oral treatments from January
By Lee Hyo-jin
Medical experts showed mixed reactions to whether the introduction of oral COVID-19 treatment pills, scheduled for mid-January, will be a “game changer” in the country's battle against the coronavirus.
The experts were also divided on whether enough doses for 604,000 people, which the government has secured so far, will be sufficient to curb the current wave of infections.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced Monday that it has secured enough antiviral drugs for 604,000 people, including doses for 362,000 people of Paxlovid developed by Pfizer and doses for 242,000 people of Molnupiravir from Merck.
The pills will be gradually introduced from mid-January beginning with initial supplies of Paxlovid to be used to treat patients who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms.
The announcement came shortly after the country's drug regulator gave Paxlovid the green light for emergency use, making it the first oral COVID-19 pill to be available in the country.
Paxlovid is administered as three co-packaged tablets ― two nirmatrelvir tablets and one ritonavir tablet ― which work together to inhibit the replication process of the coronavirus.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety cleared the pill for patients aged 12 and older weighing at least 40 kilograms. It said the pills should be prescribed as soon as possible after a COVID-19 diagnosis and within five days of the onset of symptoms, to be taken every 12 hours for five days.
Chon Eun-mi, a respiratory disease specialist at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, viewed the introduction of the easy-to-use pills as a major step forward in the fight against the pandemic.
“Considering its high efficacy shown during clinical trials, ease of shipment, storage and administration, if used with the right strategy, the oral pills will much help the country tackle the COVID-19 crisis,” she told The Korea Times.
Food and Drug Safety Minister Kim Gang-lip speaks during a briefing on emergency use authorization for Pfizer's oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, at the ministry headquarters in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Monday. Yonhap
Unlike Paxlovid, all of the previously approved coronavirus treatments required either intravenous (IV) infusion or injection.
Chon added that the secured amount of doses for 604,000 people seems sufficient for now.
“Though initial supplies are limited, I don't expect any serious supply delays, given that generic versions of the pill will soon be manufactured in other countries.”
On the other hand, Ma Sang-hyuk, vice president of the Korean Vaccine Society, gave a contrasting view.
“The amount is way too small compared to that of other countries, for instance, Japan's two million courses,” Ma said, urging the authorities to make aggressive pre-purchases to avoid a repeat of vaccine supply shortage.
A course of medication refers to a period of continual treatment with a drug.
During the first few months of its COVID-19 vaccination rollout, Korea grappled with a series of supply shortages due to the government's failure to preemptively secure sufficient doses.
Ma also said, “Though the pill would be effective in preventing severe illnesses, I wouldn't call it a 'game changer.' We've learned for the past two years that vaccines and treatments alone cannot eradicate the rapidly mutating virus. Using these as tools, the government needs to draw up a detailed pandemic exit plan.”
But the expert noted that the oral pills would help relieve the current shortage of hospital beds, as Korea has been seeing record-breaking numbers of patients in critical condition.
The KDCA reported 1,078 critically-ill patients for Sunday, with 4,207 new infections.
The government will announce Friday whether to extend the social distancing measures after the current ones end on Jan.3.