Two new pills to treat symptoms of COVID-19/ Sheridan County returns to high level of community transmission

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sheridan County has had 4,524  lab confirmed cases, adding five in the last 24 hours. 

Three new probable cases have been added to the total of 1,389 probable cases in the last 24 hours.

There are now 52 cases of COVID-19 currently active in Sheridan County, according to COVID-19 Public Information Officer Jennifer Graves.

The county has experienced the deaths of 61 residents as a result of the virus.

On Dec. 23, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for Merck’s COVID-19 treatment pill, molnupiravir.    

According to the FDA, the pill is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset. The FDA does advise that based on findings from animal reproduction studies, molnupiravir may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant individuals. Therefore, Merck’s pill is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Learn more about the authorization here. 

The FDA’s approval of Merck’s pill comes just days after the approval of Pfizer’s paxlovid for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease in adults and children (12 years of age and older weighing approximately 88 pounds).

Pfizer’s pill comes with a list of warnings regarding its use while on other medications. Learn more about paxlovid here.

Both drugs are available through a prescription only and are not a cure for COVID-19. Speak with your primary health care provider for more information.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list Sheridan County’s level of community transmission as HIGH, up from SUBSTANTIAL in the last 24 hours.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.sheridancounty.com/covid-19/.