Joe Biden is taking the drug Paxlovid in his battle against
COVID-19, the
White House said while announcing the president's diagnosis.
The anti-viral drug is intended for use by patients who are considered likely to become seriously ill from the deadly virus, such as elders and people with pre-existing conditions like heart disease.
Despite those strong numbers the drug was found to be less effective in treating vaccinated patients - which Biden is three times over - and doctor's have reported symptoms returning in some patients after Paxlovid treatment.
The treatment consists of a three pill dose of two different types of medications. The sets of pills are taken twice a day for five days, until 30 pills are consumed.
Two of the pills in the dose inhibit an enzyme the COVID virus requires to properly replicate, and stops the virus spreading viable cells. The third pill is a medication previously used to fight HIV/AIDS which boosts antiviral defenses by shutting down the liver's metabolism and allowing the effects of the first two pills to remain in the body longer.