Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron
Pfizer said on Wednesday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised its antiviral Covid-19 pill, making it the first at-home treatment for the coronavirus that is expected to become an important tool in the fight against the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
Data from Pfizer's clinical trial showed its antiviral regimen was 90 per cent effective in preventing hospital admission and death in patients at high risk of severe illness. Recent lab data suggests the drug retains its effectiveness against Omicron.
The agency said it authorised the oral drug for emergency use for the treatment of mild-to-moderate disease in adults and paediatric patients 12 years of age and older, weighing at least 40 kilograms, who are at high risk for progression to severe Covid-19.
“This authorisation provides a new tool to combat Covid-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research.
The drug 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 agency said.
The company said it was ready to start immediate delivery in the US and raised its production projections to 120 million courses of treatment from 80 million in 2022.
The US government's contract for 10 million courses of the Pfizer drug is priced at $530 per course.
The Pfizer pills, taken with the older antiviral drug ritonavir, will be sold under the brand name Paxlovid.
The pills are meant to be taken every 12 hours for five days beginning shortly after the onset of symptoms.
Ritonavir is known to have interactions with some other prescription medicines. Pfizer has said that should be manageable and suggested most patients would be able to lower the doses of their other medications while being treated for Covid-19.
Pfizer said it plans to file a new drug application with the FDA in 2022 for potential full regulatory approval.
A rival pill from Merck, which is under review by the FDA, has shown lower efficacy compared with Pfizer's treatment. Merck's drug, molnupiravir, reduced hospital admissions and deaths in its clinical trial of high-risk patients by about 30 per cent.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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How Beautiful this world is!
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
