(New York, NY, Monday, November 27, 2023) – As we are in our fourth holiday season in the COVID-19 era, we continue to rely on our two-pronged approach of vaccinations and currently available treatments to successfully combat the virus. Despite this, COVID-19 remains the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and with so many Americans traveling and gathering in crowded spaces to see family and friends for the holiday season, cases continue to rise.

While vaccines have been crucial in slowing the COVID-19 pandemic, they can still leave many people vulnerable to severe infection, including many of the elderly, immunocompromised and those with underlying risk factors. Current treatment options have limitations for these groups, so new oral antiviral treatment options are needed to stay ahead COVID-19 waves of infection.

Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases and preventive medicine, health policy at Vanderbilt University, has more on how important it is to have new treatment options that can help fight against COVID-19.

SOUNDBITE #1:

NEW COVID-19 VARIANTS ARE RAPIDLY EMERGING IN THE U.S. WITH NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN. UNFORTUNATELY, VACCINES ARE LOSING EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST NEW COVID-19 VARIANTS. SO, NEW ORAL ANTIVIRAL TREATMENTS ARE CRUCIAL TO STAYING AHEAD OF WAVES OF INFECTION.

SOUNDBITE #2:

CURRENT COVID-19 TREATMENTS HAVE KEY LIMITATIONS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PATIENT POPULATIONS. THERE IS A GREAT URGENCY FOR NEW SAFE, WELL TOLERATED, ORAL ANTIVIRAL THERAPIES TO PREVENT DISEASE PROGRESSION, HOSPITALIZATION AND MORTALITY FOR MANY OF THE ELDERLY, IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND THOSE WITH UNDERLYING RISK FACTORS.

SOUNDBITE #3:

COVID-19 REMAINS THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U.S., AND WHILE VACCINATION IS IMPORTANT FOR PROTECTION, WE NEED NEW ORAL ANTIVIRAL TREATMENTS BECAUSE MANY IN HIGH-RISK GROUPS CAN STILL BE VULNERABLE TO HOSPITALIZATION AND EVEN DEATH.

For information on one investigational COVID-19 therapy and an ongoing clinical trial, visit  https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05629962.