During its weekly update, Alberta announced that Paxlovid, an oral treatment for COVID-19, will be available at more pharmacies across the province starting Friday.
“Having a reliable supply of at-home treatments for COVID-19, such as Paxlovid, is critical to lowering the risk of severe outcomes for those who are unvaccinated or have serious medical conditions,” Minister of Health Jason Copping said March 30.
Although the antiviral medication Paxlovid is a Health Canada approved COVID-19 treatment, it is not a substitute for vaccination, which remains the most effective protection against the virus, he said.
Paxlovid is available by prescription to Albertans who meet eligibility requirements. Treatment must be started within five days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
The province asked people not to contact pharmacies or doctors’ offices to arrange Paxlovid treatment at this time. Instead, eligible individuals can contact Health Link to confirm eligibility and arrange next steps.
Data from March 22-28 shows COVID-19 hospitalizations remain stable.
Thirty deaths were reported during the period for an average of four per day. There are 964 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 47 who require intensive care.
Areas around the province, including Calgary and Edmonton, show increasing transmission of the virus, but Copping said those trends can be highly variable.
The daily positivity rate for PCR tests ranged from 21.7 per cent to 27.1 per cent, for an average positivity rate of 24.5 per cent. That represents an increase of 2.5 per cent from the average positivity rate a week ago.
PCR confirmed cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2 continue to rise, as BA.2 now accounts for 70 per cent of positive tests. The subvariant is more transmissible than BA.1. but has not yet shown to cause more severe illness.
Although supply of Paxlovid is increasing, Copping asked Albertans to get all doses of COVID-19 vaccine that they are eligible for.
“Rather than waiting to need treatment, I continue to encourage Albertans to get ahead of COVID-19 and get vaccinated, including boosters,” he said.
Expecting a possible rise in cases, Copping encouraged Albertans to use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests and to assess their risk levels and act accordingly.
When asked if Alberta has entered a sixth wave, Copping said it remains to be seen what that would look like and what impact it would have on the health-care system.
“The expectation is we may see a rise in cases,” he said.
Information about Paxlovid from AHS can be accessed here. Health Link can be reached at 1-844-343-097.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw did not attend the update. She is expected to be back next week.
