COVID-19 Rebound Cases After Paxlovid Treatment: Joe Biden Tests Positive Again
In a recent report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that all those patients who have received treatment with Paxlovid for COVID-19 are at high risk of developing back the symptoms after they are discharged from the hospital. Pfizer's Paxlovid is the leading oral medication for preventing severe cases of COVID-19 in high-risk individuals. However, several reports have been submitted in the last few months, where patients complained that the symptoms of coronavirus returned after their treatment was completed. The CDC has termed these cases as 'COVID Rebound'. Now, the question is why is the infection rebounding after taking the drug? Let's understand.
United States President Joe Biden tested positive for novel coronavirus on Saturday (July 30), within days after repeatedly testing negative for the infection earlier in the week. According to the reports, Biden has no symptoms and is feeling "quite well". The return of the COVID infection in Joe Biden's cases is what experts have termed 'Paxlovid rebound' the particular phenomenon in which a COVID recovered patient who has been administered the antiviral drug Paxlovid, re-develops the symptoms of the infection (tests positive) days after testing negative.
Before Joe Biden, Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical officer to the President, also experienced a Paxlovid rebound. In a report, health officials have also revealed that currently, America has several COVID-19 positive cases of those who were given Paxlovid during their treatment procedure. Some of them have tested positive immediately after testing negative for the infection as well.
After struggling for over two years with COVID-19, experts are now stating that rebound cases are real and people should be aware of the condition and precautionary measures. In May. the CDC had issued guidelines for all those patients who tested positive for COVID-19 after getting completely cured with Paxlovid. The CDC said, "All those patients who had completed a course of Paxlovid medication could test positive again, and that these people should isolate themselves for five days".
COVID-19 rebounding cases are on the rise in the United States. But, why is this happening? According to the reports, Joe Biden and Dr Fauci both were infected by the Omicronsub-variant BA.5 which is carrying the ability to escape immune protection both provided by vaccines, and by prior Covid-19 infection. Data also shows that BA.5 Omicron sub-variant is the current dominant strain of the COVID-19 virus in the USA. Therefore, experts predict that the Paxlovid treatment option has some holes which allow new variants like BA.5 and BA.4 to re-infect an individual.
Paxlovid is an antiviral medicine which is developed by Pfizer. It has been widely used to treat severe and complicated cases of COVID-19. The Paxlovid tablet consists of two formulas - nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use. This medicine was given emergency use authorisation (EUA) by the USFDA in December last year.
